Recommendation 3

HM Government Acknowledged

There is still uncertainty about the relationship between screen time and mental health. Research findings have been mixed and it has been challenging to keep pace with changing technology and practices. In 2019, the UK’s Chief Medical Officers reviewed the evidence on the relationship between screen time and mental health in children; the commentary found an association between the two but could not establish a causal relationship. Subsequently, the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) commissioned a longitudinal study exploring the potential causal impact of social media use on young people’s mental health in the UK. This study, published in 2023, found little evidence to suggest that spending more time on social media is associated with more mental health problems in young people. However, there may be a potential ‘opportunity cost’ where screen time is very excessive and displaces other positive activities for children, such as sleep. Further research exploring the relationship between social media and mental health, and how it might be mediated, is welcomed and departmental policies will remain agile in light of this emerging evidence base. In addition, the Online Safety Act is clear that services’ risk assessments should consider the impact of functionalities in increasing the risk of children encountering harmful content. This includes the risk of cumulative harm, for example, how the dissemination of content via algorithmic recommendations may increase the risk of harm to children from particular kind of content being repeatedly shown to children. Ofcom’s draft codes of practice include specific recommendations for services to ensure that algorithms or certain functionalities do not target child users with harmful content. This includes, for example, the use of infinite content feeds or business models which can cause children to spend more time using a service and come across harmful content. Our responses below to further recommendations from the Education Committee’s report go into more detail about action the government is taking. We will continue to develop guidance informed by evidence, and we will continue to encourage and support further research in this area. Activity that will provide further insights and outcomes from include the following. • On 20 November 2024, DSIT announced a feasibility study on methods and data to understand the impact of smartphones and social media on children’s wellbeing. The study began on 2 December 2024 and will run for six months, until May 2025. It is being conducted by the University of Cambridge and a wider consortium of experts from a range of universities. The central question of the study is: which methods will be most effective in determining the causal effects of social media and smartphones on children’s (3–21 years) developmental outcomes in the next 2–3 years? • We will consider the findings of the Children’s Commissioner’s school phones policies in England report, alongside DfE’s existing guidance on the use of mobile phones in schools. DfE’s mobile phones guidance acknowledges the opportunity cost of excessive mobile phone use by highlighting the value of removing phones so children and young people can spend more time staying active and socialising face to face with their peers, activities which have a positive impact on wellbeing. DfE’s Areas of Research Interest publication has recently been updated to reflect the new government’s priorities.