The new advisory warns too much screen time can be harmful for children. Here’s what to know.
WASHINGTON — Children and teens having too much screen time is a growing public health concern, the surgeon general said in a new advisory.
Health experts at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services collaborated on the advisory, released Wednesday, since the surgeon general position is currently vacant.
The advisory warned excessive screen time or time online could lead to poor sleep and dietary habits, mental health effects like anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, and even drug use.
Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said the advisory encompasses the “entire digital ecosystem” and includes apps, smartphones, tablets, chatbots, video games, social media and other screen-associated devices and interfaces.
“While screen use can have some benefits, the evidence of a range of risks to children’s overall mental and physical health is mounting,” he said in the advisory. “This Advisory is not only a warning, but also an invitation for all of us to enjoy a broader world, beyond the confines of screens.”
The advisory, and guidance toolkit, encourages parents to model good behavior for their children, delay screen time for their child “as long as possible,” and to encourage their children to “turn our screens off and our brains and bodies on, so that we can live real life.”
The toolkit also has suggested guidance for schools, tech companies, doctors, parents and children. The guidance encourages doctors to ask about screen use during annual checkups and for schools to ban phones during class.
There has been an increased attempt to limit screen time in recent years. By February 2026, 41 states had laws or policies in place related to K–12 student cell phone use in schools, according to Ballotpedia.
In January, the American Academy of Pediatrics published a study where they said digital ecosystems prioritizing engagement often encourage prolonged use, which could “displace healthy behaviors and contribute to negative outcomes.”
Experts encourage people not to fear screen time, as some can support learning, friendships and general well-being.
Dr. Courtney Blackwell, an associate professor of medical social sciences at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, told CNN parents shouldn’t restrict all screen-based media because not all of it is harmful.
“There can be positive uses of screen media, like ‘Sesame Street,'” she said. “It’s not just how long kids are spending on screens but really how they’re using it and the context of that use.”