Children’s online safety and screen time under growing UK scrutiny
Experts warn that harmful content, cyberbullying and addictive design features remain key concerns in children’s online environments.
The UK Government Office for Science has highlighted the need for evidence-led policy on children’s online lives, warning that digital technologies bring both benefits and risks while long-term evidence remains limited.
In an article published on the GOV.UK, the Government Chief Scientific Adviser noted that 97% of UK teenagers aged 13 to 15 now own a mobile phone, while almost one-fifth of children aged three to five also own one. Children aged eight to nine spend an average of two hours per day online, rising to four hours for those aged 13 to 14, excluding gaming time.
The article said children use digital platforms to maintain friendships, access communities, and find support, and that some are also using AI companions for well-being and emotional regulation. AI tools are increasingly being used for learning and schoolwork, with around half of children reporting AI use.
However, the government adviser warned that children face risks including harmful content, cyberbullying, privacy breaches, false or misleading information, unlimited scrolling, personalised algorithms and other features designed to maximise engagement.
The article said there is not enough robust long-term data to determine with confidence how digital technologies are affecting children. It also warned that the use of AI should not prevent children from developing skills such as written expression and critical thinking.
The Government Office for Science said stronger evidence and continued evaluation are needed to inform policy, including the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology’s consultation on the impacts of growing up online, which covers social media, AI chatbots, gaming sites and other online services.
Why does it matter?
The article is relevant because it frames children’s online safety as an evidence and governance challenge, not only a moral panic over screen time. UK policymakers are weighing restrictions on social media, gaming platforms, AI chatbots and other online services, but the Government Office for Science stresses that long-term evidence remains incomplete. That makes transparency, evaluation and proportional safeguards central to future online safety policy.
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