'Overwhelming consensus' that screen time harms children, top doctors say

The UK’s most senior doctors say there is an 'overwhelming consensus' that screen time harms children, urging the government to act as it considers new restrictions for under-16s [1]. The Academy of Medical Royal Colleges has called for doctors to routinely ask younger patients about their screen time and social media use [1]. In a submission to a government consultation closing Tuesday night, the Academy compared the issue to historic public health challenges like smoking or seatbelts, calling it a 'unifying force for the medical profession' [1]. Technology Secretary Liz Kendall stated, 'The question isn't whether we're going to act - we will,' with new measures planned by the end of 2026 [1]. The consultation, which received 70,000 submissions, explores options including app curfews, stronger age checks, and banning social media for children, as Australia has done [1]. Campaigners are divided on an outright ban. Ellen Roome, whose 14-year-old son died in 2022, argues 'social media is a product, and like any other faulty product causing the deaths of children, it should be restricted until the companies responsible have fixed it and proven it is safe' [1]. Others warn bans could fail children and that existing laws should be enforced first [1]. The debate occurs amid broader scrutiny of social media platforms. YouTube, owned by Google, is the second-most-visited website globally, with more than 2.7 billion monthly active users collectively watching over one billion hours of video daily [9]. It has been criticized for 'endangering the safety of children and their well-being' [9]. Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, operates a division, Meta AI, that develops artificial intelligence and augmented reality technologies [8]. The Academy acknowledges causal evidence is scant but insists the documented harms are immediate and happening at scale [1]. It recommends guidance for health staff to spot unhealthy use and recording potential harms to fill data gaps [1]. Former health secretary Wes Streeting likened platforms' use of 'addictive' design features like endless scrolling to the actions of tobacco giants [1]. The government's response to the consultation is expected this summer [1].