Why Sweden recommends that very young children should not have access to any digital devices
Swedish public health authorities aim to promote healthy development but some experts wonder whether parts of the guidance are unrealistic
Screen time
For stories related to screen time from smartphones and other tech devices
The Debate: Is a total ban on screens for small children the answer?
New research shows that toddlers who are exposed to screens communicate less with caregivers. But is delaying access to technology feasible?
Social media platforms using AI to direct harmful content to children, committee told
Experts suggest a binding rule turning off algorithmic recommendations for young people by default
Five ways to help keep your child safe online
Safer Internet Day: More than half of parents struggle with teaching their children about online safety, survey finds
Almost a quarter of six year olds have their own smartphone, survey finds
Majority of parents concerned about online safety of their children, CyberSafeKids finds
Parents to be encouraged not to buy smart phones for primary school children
Norma Foley’s plan would see guidelines sent to primary schools where parents wish to introduce a voluntary no-smartphones policy
Attachment theory: what social media gets badly wrong about human psychology
Beware of the online rush to pathologise and categorise. ‘If you had a swelling, you wouldn’t go: Oh I have lump, I better check TikTok!’
Quarter of children aged 8 to 12 experienced cyberbullying in the last year, report finds
New report finds that rate of cyberbullying rises in secondary school, and girls more likely to be victimised than boys
‘My 14-year-old son has become really dependent on his phone’
Ask the Expert: 'In the heat of a row, I did remove his phone, and this sparked a serious meltdown'
Call for mobile phone ban in schools due to evidence of damage to young people
Stephen Donnelly says use of devices linked to increased anxity, self-harm and suicide ideation among children
Readers on smartphones: ‘We have a written contract with our child and it’s comprehensive’
Parental views on children’s smartphone use range from deep concern to an inevitable rite of passage
Children and smartphones: How to protect and guide them from bullying, phishing and grooming
How can parents best guide their children and keep them safe from many different types of harm when the threat is right in front of them in their own home?
‘Text-neck’, sore hands and sprained thumbs: how our phones can strain our bodies
When we text or browse the internet, we often strain muscles and joints. Solution? Put down that phone
Higher screentime linked to delays in infant development, study finds
Yale Child Study Center psychologist says face-to-face interaction between parent and child is crucial
Video games and children: Behind the zany guns and dancing bananas they can be educational
Games such as Minecraft, Fortnite and Assassin’s Creed incorporate a lot of creativity, engineering, problem-solving and collaboration
Teenagers and smartphones: ‘Like animals in a zoo, they are missing out on life’s rich experiences’
Irish youngsters are known to have some of the highest rates of smartphone use globally, so smartphone ‘addiction’ can almost go unnoticed
‘I check my phone hundreds of times a day. Is there a way to treat screen addiction?’
There are at least three ways to reduce your phone use
Adults and smartphones: Tell us about your experience and views
Have you ever walked across a road while looking at your phone?
‘I thought my partner was having an online affair, but then I realised there was more to it’
Tell Me About It: He has been seeing doctors online, in many countries, on almost a weekly basis due to his anxiety about his health
How are schools coping with the minefield of smartphones?
There’s plenty of scope for conflict between students, parents and teachers over how to deal with the issue of smartphones. How can everybody involved reach common ground on this vexed subject?
The best parental control apps to keep your children safe and monitor their smartphone use
Whether they have an Android or Apple device, there are options for both to keep an eye on their screentime
Adults and smartphones: ‘I lose about six to eight hours a day on my phone’
More than half of adults wish they spent less time on their smartphones, a study published last year has found
Sometimes, when you need a witness – or Ed Sheeran – social media can be a source for good
Orla Tinsley: Social media morphs into a space to write intentionally and lyrically when picking up a pen is not an option
How parents’ smartphone use can affect babies and young children
Smartphone use can affect babies’ mental health, their speech development and could put them at risk of overfeeding if parents are preoccupied
How parents can balance their smartphone use with family time
Phones are a useful part of family life. Finding the right balance, rather than completely eliminating them, is key
At what age should I give my child a mobile phone?
Ask the Expert: Having a rule of ‘no phone until secondary school’ is a very reasonable goal, though frequently this decision is not just an individual family one
Nokia 3310, instant cameras, vinyl records . . . younger generations embrace the freedom and beauty of old tech
Old tech provides the balance between the digital and the physical that people are seeking in their lives, says expert
Health risks of mobile phone use: is there anything to be worried about?
Definitive evidence is lacking, but precautions might be wise regarding tissue heating, interactions with pacemakers, and microbes
‘It’s not the phone that’s the problem – it’s how you use it’
Deleting most of my social media accounts encouraged me to live in the present and work on my confidence and self-esteem
Teenagers and social media: What research tells us (and doesn’t) about them using it
While there are concerns about the effects of social media on adolescents’ mental health, not using social media can also be detrimental
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