Israel's Health Ministry Issues Strict Screen Time Guidelines for Children

Israel's Ministry of Health has launched a new campaign and released dramatic recommendations for parents on responsible screen usage, citing alarming data. According to the ministry, 16.3% of Israeli students are classified as "addicted to electronic social media," a figure that places Israel among the leading countries in this metric in a global study. Furthermore, 28.7% of students in grades 7-12 spend six or more hours daily on screens outside of school hours, with girls exhibiting higher usage rates (32.7%) than boys (24.6%).

The ministry's guidelines emphasize delaying children's exposure to digital devices, setting clear limits on usage time, and postponing access to smartphones and social media. Specifically, it recommends no screens at all for children under two, except for supervised video calls. For ages 2-5, screen time should be limited to one hour daily with age-appropriate content and parental supervision. Children aged 6-9 should have no more than two hours of leisure screen time, and those aged 10-12 up to three hours.

For teenagers aged 13-18, the focus shifts to content quality and ensuring screen time doesn't displace sleep, physical activity, or social interaction. The ministry advises against smartphones until age 13, and even then, without social media access. Social media platforms are recommended only for ages 15 and up, with parental guidance, clear rules, and digital controls. Prolonged exposure to social media is linked to sleep disturbances, reduced well-being, increased social comparison, body image issues, and emotional distress, alongside decreased physical activity and unhealthy eating habits.

Additional recommendations include keeping screens out of bedrooms, ceasing use before bedtime, establishing screen-free times during meals and family activities, and encouraging offline pursuits like exercise, hobbies, and face-to-face interactions. The ministry stresses that parental role modeling is crucial, as balanced adult screen use can foster healthier habits in children. The initiative aims not to ban technology but to promote age-appropriate, balanced use, preserving the benefits of digital tools for learning and communication while empowering parents to regain control over their children's digital habits. A committee will be formed to address regulation and protection in the digital space, accompanied by a digital campaign to equip parents with practical tools.