UK government issues first evidence-backed guidance limiting under-fives' screen time to one hour daily

Key facts

• The UK government released its first evidence-backed guidance recommending that children under five be limited to one hour of screen time per day.
• Under-twos should not watch screens alone, and parents are advised to avoid fast-paced videos.
• The guidance was reviewed by Children's Commissioner for England Dame Rachel de Souza and Russell Viner, professor of paediatrics and adolescent health at University College London (UCL).
• The guidance applies to all screen types including computers, tablets, mobile phones, and televisions.
• The government states that about 98% of children are watching screens daily by age two.
• The guidance exempts screen-based assistive technologies used for children with special educational needs and disabilities from the time limits.
• The guidance discourages the use of artificial intelligence (AI) toys or tools for under-fives.
• Researchers at the Institute for the Science of Early Years at the University of East London observed that fast-paced content can trigger stress responses in under-fives.
• Prof Sam Wass noted a link between emotional dysregulation and time spent watching fast-paced, unpredictable content in young children.