How to help teens balance screen time
Top tips to support children aged 14+
Smartphones are central to teens’ daily routine. It’s not only used to stay in contact with friends or scroll social media.
From creating videos to doing homework, there is a lot of consider when helping teens balance their screen time.
Explore the guide below to find support.
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What’s in this guide?
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What does research says about teens’ screen time?
To help teens balance screen time, it’s more about showing them the tools to self-regulate and self-reflect. Research completed with TikTok also found that while teens recognise when they need help, they benefit most from taking ownership of their own screen time. In all, they said they would benefit from more support with:
- more information around data such as how much time they spend online. For example, Digital Wellbeing tools on Android devices offer in-depth insight into screen time and app use.
- design that supports usage such the ability for teens to customise limits depending on the time of year or day of the week.
- active alerts that interrupt usage through warning notices and pop-up messages.
The effects of persuasive design
The platforms and devices that we use every day are cleverly designed to keep us using them for as long as possible. Persuasive design is built into the DNA of all of these products.
Tristan Harris from the Center for Humane Technology explained that we as individuals can try to use our devices more responsibly, but it’s our willpower against hundreds of engineers paid to keep us glued to the screen. This means that it is completely understandable for teens to struggle with putting their devices down.
What do teens use devices for?
According to research from Ofcom:
of 16-17-year-olds watch videos across platforms
of 12-15-year-olds use social media apps or sites
of teens send messages or make video calls
of 16-17-year-olds watch live streams
Teens’ favourite apps
The favourite apps and platforms among teens include:
- WhatsApp (80% of 12-17s)
- Snapchat (62% for 12-15s)
- Instagram (46% for 12-15s; 87% for 16-17s)
- TikTok (44% and 80%)
Across all age groups (3-17), YouTube was the most widely used at 88%.
What do other parents say about screen time?
Although almost 9 in 10 parents take measures to limit their child’s use of devices, parents of teens are less likely to take any measures.
As children grow, it is important they have more freedom and fewer restrictions. However, they need to develop the skills to manage this on their own. So, it’s important to talk regularly and discuss the settings they use.
According to our Look Both Ways report, half of parents of 14-16-year-olds worry about their children’s use of social media and its impact on their overall mental wellbeing.
How does screen use affect teenagers?
- Screen use provides a range of opportunities for creativity and learning: 70% of parents strongly agree that using devices is essential for their child’s development.
- Access to a wealth of information helps kids build their knowledge.
- Technology takes away physical barriers to social connections. For children who feel isolated offline, this is often the only way they can do this.
- The internet can also inspire children by helping them discover new passions or interests such as with skill-building apps.
- Peer pressure from friends to stay online, and the fear of missing out (FOMO) can lead to negative impacts on young people’s wellbeing. This is often due to late nights and a lack of balance between activities.
- Additionally, persuasive design such as auto-play and endless social feeds might lead to poor habits when it comes to teens balancing their screen time.
- Users who are more active online — such as through interacting with other users — are more likely to experience online harms such as misinformation, bullying or inappropriate content. The more time teens spend online, the greater this chance becomes.
- Social media algorithms can lead to echo chambers. As your teen browses, they run the chance of unknowingly falling into this trap. It’s important they limit their screen time but also the type of content they view.
- Passive screen time such as doom-scrolling or bingeing a Netflix series can negatively affect teens’ physical development (i.e. eyes and brain), sleep cycle and behaviour.
What are the signs of poor screen time balance?
Not all screen time is created equal, so it’s important to encourage a healthy balance between passive screen time (e.g. watching YouTube) and active screen time (e.g. creating content or playing games online).
Additionally, there is no official guidance on the right level of screen time. Lack of evidence has meant that experts find it hard to recommend a cut-off for screen time overall. As such, balanced use ensures teens’ screen use leaves them feeling positive about time spent online.
One size does not fit all when it comes to screen time; it varies based on an individual’s needs. However, some signs a child spends too much time on screens include:
- feeling anxious or stressed about not having their device; or feeling anxious or stressed while using their device
- lack of sleep due to late nights on devices
- limited physical activity. However, there are apps and games that keep kids active as well
- distancing themselves from friends in the offline space
