Apple's “Screen Time” feature, which was introduced by Apple in 2018, was designed to help users understand Not long ago, we heard an educator who mentioned observing a middle school student's screen time data While Screen Time offers valuable insights into device usage, it's essential for parents, caregivers, Also, screen time metrics alone do not capture the quality of screen time, the content being consumed Not all screen time is created equal.

time." Rather than fixating solely on the amount of time youth spend online, we should shift our focus to “screen and the impact it has on their growth, development, and well-being "Screen time" has become a catch-all Moving from a "screen time" mindset to a "screen value" mindset allows parents to guide their children The paradigm shift from "screen time" to "screen value" encourages more open and productive conversations

Today, we assisted a concerned parent whose child had found a way to bypass Apple's "Screen Time" feature to access TikTok beyond the set time limits that were allowed by the parent in Screen Time. If parents decide to restrict their child's TikTok usage to an hour per day using Screen Time, the app Screen Time restrictions that are being set by parents. spent because incognito mode entries don't appear in the "Screen Time" report.

, with articles featured in  New Scientist, Science Focus, the Guardian, the Observer, the New York Times time and technology. Etchells advocates for a shift away from the concept of "screen time," and “tech addiction” providing time #2 – We need to reframe our thinking in terms of screen habits #3 – We need to interrogate and After all, screens aren’t going away any time soon, so let’s make them work for us” The White Hatter 

Parents and caregivers are being bombarded in the media to worry about how much time their youth or teen However, what often gets missed in these conversations is the “why” behind the screen time, especially This isn’t because wealthier families are better at managing screen time. Some caregivers are working multiple jobs with little time or energy left over. These types of efforts can go a long way in providing youth and teens with alternatives to screen time

A new 2025 study titled, “Role of Sleep and White Matter in the Link Between Screen Time and Depression They tracked how much time the kids spent daily on screens (phones, tablets, TVs, video games), monitored Their Key findings: More screen time can lead to  less sleep Each extra hour of screen time was linked time and depressive symptoms  Not all screen time is the same Passive screen use (like watching videos Not all screen time is harmful.

literacy and internet safety, and it is our opinion that this is the best we have read in a very long time

Other examples like the Tide-Pod challenge, the Skull-Breaker challenge, or the boiling water challenge ways to identify community-level spikes in suicide risk by analyzing social media activity in real time who are these smaller cohorts of youth and why are they more susceptible.” (13) Studies investigating time This means setting boundaries around screens at night and keeping phones out of bedrooms when possible

Some stated they are using built-in app timers or screen time tracking features. Teens today are not passively drowning in screen time, rather these teens were actively learning how Rather than assuming all screen time is mindless or harmful, we should look closer and ask, “What are time. “How can they lecture us about screen time when they’re glued to their devices too?”

Despite having hundreds of millions of users, especially among Gen Z, the platform has had a hard time for profit starts seeping into our kids’ private digital spaces, which they have always done, it’s time

automatic protections to limit inappropriate content and unwanted contact, as well as ways to ensure teens’ time Screen Time Reminders Teens who use Instagram for more than 60 minutes will receive a notification prompting This is a direct response to concerns about excessive screen time and its negative impact on the mental For example, to change privacy settings or alter time limits, a parent or guardian must provide permission These updates reflect a broader trend of protecting youth from harmful content and interactions in real-time

Setting clear expectations about screen use, appropriate online behaviour, and the types of content that engage with technology, so demonstrating mindful social media use, digital etiquette, and balanced screen time can encourage them to adopt similar behaviours.