A group of 50 experts in Spain is urging the government to add health warning labels on smartphones. They say too much screen time can be harmful, especially for children.

The experts recommend that doctors should ask patients about their screen time during checkups. They also say limiting children’s use of digital devices until they are 13, as part of a new law to help protect their health.

In a nearly 250-page report, experts in Spain are recommending that children under three should not be exposed to digital devices at all. For children aged 3 to 6, screen time should be limited and only allowed in exceptional cases.

For kids between 6 and 12, the experts say using dumb phones(phones that only make calls and do not have internet access). They also recommend encouraging offline activities like sports to help reduce screen time.
The report urges the Spanish government to add warning labels to digital devices, informing people about health risks linked to social media and the potential harm of inappropriate content for children.

It also says that warnings should appear on screens when using certain apps, showing health risks and the recommended screen time limit. The report urges the government to recognize mobile phone addiction as a public health issue to help create ways to prevent and detect it early.

It recommends that questions about screen time and behaviour issues should be included in health checkups for all age groups. For teenagers, doctors should regularly screen for depression, anxiety, and technology use.

The committee was formed earlier this year after Spain’s Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez, called the rise in online pornography among children an “authentic epidemic.” Sanchez said that troubling statistics show one in four children under 12 and nearly half of those under 15 have accessed or are currently accessing pornography.

The report takes a broad look at the issue, not just focusing on children's access to pornography, but also their overall use of digital devices. This comes as part of a larger global discussion about children's exposure to technology, which has led schools worldwide to limit the use of mobile phones in classrooms.

It also suggests that families should be given training to help them manage their children's online safety, answer questions about limiting screen time, and reduce exposure to harmful content. It also recommends that schools remove educational apps that focus on instant rewards.