Amsterdam: The Dutch government has unveiled new guidelines to limit the use of smartphones and social media among children. The guidelines, introduced by State Secretary for Youth, Prevention and Sport, Vincent Karremans, aim to promote healthy and responsible screen usage by recommending that children under 15 avoid social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the guidelines suggest delaying smartphone use until the final year of primary school, around the ages of 11 to 12. Karremans highlighted the growing risks associated with excessive screen exposure, noting that “nearly 13 per cent of young people are at risk of problematic social media use.” The guidelines provide age-specific recommendations, advising that screen exposure be entirely discouraged for children under two years old, while adolescents aged 12 and above should limit daily screen time to no more than three hours.
Although these guidelines are not legally binding, the Dutch government plans to launch a nationwide awareness campaign later this summer to assist parents in managing their children’s digital environment. This move follows increasing concern among Dutch parents and experts, as evidenced by an open letter sent to the government in May by Smartphonevrij Opgroeien Nederland (Growing Up Smartphone-Free Netherlands), representing parents of over 30,000 children. The letter, advocating for clear age limits on children’s smartphone and social media use, was endorsed by more than 3,000 experts and professionals in medicine and education.
In addition to these domestic guidelines, the Dutch government is advocating for greater European cooperation. It is calling for efforts to strengthen digital legislation, particularly through the effective implementation of the Digital Services Act (DSA), and is urging for uniform age standards for social media use across Europe to simplify compliance and enhance enforcement.
