A U.S. surgeon general advisory warns that excessive screen time threatens children’s physical and mental health, including poorer sleep, behavioral issues, and reduced physical and social activity, and frames action as a bipartisan urgency rather than wait-for certainty.

Families are urged to create a family media plan and healthcare providers should assess patients’ screen use, with calls for more research on long-term effects and for tech companies to warn users about risks.

The advisory advocates broad actions across sectors, including design changes to prioritize user well-being, pre-use warnings, and nudges to limit use, though without a detailed enforcement roadmap.

The advisory is issued amid a context where there is no confirmed surgeon general, with interim leadership from HHS officials and involvement of Melania Trump’s Be Best initiative.

Officials stress that action cannot wait for perfect certainty, presenting the issue as a bipartisan concern about technology’s impact on youth mental health.

The American Academy of Pediatrics has highlighted how digital ecosystems often prioritize engagement, potentially displacing healthy behaviors and contributing to negative outcomes.

The document notes the absence of a confirmed surgeon general in the current administration and references the acting leadership guiding the advisory.

Top health officials emphasize that screen time is linked to deteriorating physical health, mental health, academic performance, and social development across a generation.

The advisory outlines practical, action-oriented recommendations: implement age-based screen-time limits (none under 18 months, under one hour daily for under 6, up to two hours daily for ages 6–18) and a toolkit for families, schools, healthcare providers, policymakers, and tech companies.

Specific measures for schools and health providers include bell-to-bell phone restrictions and routine screening of students’ screen use during annual visits.

Media coverage frames the advisory as guidance for parents, caregivers, and educators on managing children’s digital media use.

Experts caution against one-size-fits-all rules, noting higher risks for those with addictive patterns and urging targeted screening and prevention rather than blanket restrictions.