Zero screen time for kids under six, experts tell Spanish government

The report isn’t official yet, and it’s not clear what the Spanish government will decide. However, a panel of experts has told the cabinet that it should drastically limit minors’ exposure to digital devices such as smartphones.

Spain has been pushing forward a draft law to limit children’s exposure to technology. A 50-member committee of experts seems to agree that the bill is urgently needed because the country is facing a public health problem.

The report, which spans nearly 250 pages, recommends that children under the age of three be excluded from all exposure to digital devices, while children up to six years old should only be allowed to access them on an exceptional basis.

For children between six and 12, so-called “dumb phones” should be given because they don’t have access to the internet and are limited to calls and text messages.

Additionally, the report, seen and reported on by the El Pais daily, urges the Spanish government to consider adding a warning label on digital devices sold in the country.

The report says the government should warn consumers that using digital devices and accessing inappropriate content can harm their health and impact the development of children, in particular. Similar warnings should pop up on screens when accessing certain platforms or apps.

Finally, the experts are calling on the government to officially name cell phone addiction as a public health concern. If that happened, preventive measures and early detection systems would need to be developed.

It’s a bit ironic that the committee was originally assembled in reaction to what the government has called an epidemic of online pornography consumption among children. Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said in January that nearly half of children under 15 have had access to pornography.

However, the report obviously took a wider view of children’s use of digital devices in general.

The government is not shying away from broader discussions – in its draft legislation, it suggests raising the minimum age for opening a social media account from 14 to 16.

More countries are worried about the issue. In neighboring France, a study said this year that children shouldn’t be allowed to use smartphones until they’re 13 and to access social media until they’re 18.

Last week, the Australian parliament passed a law banning social media for children under 16. Big tech firms criticized the bill harshly, but polls showed wide public support for it. The law will take effect in a year.

Teenagers who fall prey to “problematic smartphone use” are more likely to suffer from insomnia, anxiety, and depression, experts from King’s College London found earlier this year.