Ahead of the new Online Safety Act coming into force early next year, we’re looking at ways to keep kids safe online.
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00:00It is very hard. Parents have a hard job. We totally recognize that. I recognize that.
00:06However, the first thing to say is parents have to lead by example. And parents need
00:12support. I am of the opinion, my personal opinion, is that government should ban phones
00:17for children under 16 in school. In far too many youngsters, this habit has now become
00:23second nature. It's become entrenched. I think what parents should try to do, given the difficulties
00:30that try to reduce the phone usage when they're having a meal together, when they're out together,
00:35when they're out in the car together. This is not about stopping. What I'm advocating
00:41is about being reasonable. It's about moderating. I can give you some parameters as to what I'm
00:46suggesting. It's what I call a five-a-day infographic for parents and children.
00:51Essentially, for different age groups, it means that for zero to two, as far as possible,
00:56the only screen time should be video chatting with friends and family. Between two and five,
01:03the only screen time should be not more than half an hour, and preferably educational.
01:09Between six and 10, what I'm recommending is during weekdays, one or two hours on screens,
01:16recreational screen times, and two hours on weekends. And between 11 and 17, up to two hours
01:22on weekdays, and two or three hours on weekends, so recreational screen time.
01:26These are guides based on WHO recommendations, NICE recommendations, and clinical common sense.
01:32It means that we are suggesting advocating moderation, not stopping, which, of course,
01:39is never going to happen. We need to try to get back from the four to five hours, which is an
01:43addiction, to something more sensible, whereby children spend more time outside. Physical health
01:49has suffered, and physical activity is really important, not just for the body,
01:53but for the brain. So this is about taking back some degree of control slowly.