Haridopolos warns screen harm

Why it matters

Dr. Stephanie Haridopolos’ warning this week did not arrive in isolation. The Health and Human Services official spoke after HHS on May 20 released a Surgeon General advisory and toolkit describing harmful screen use among children and adolescents as a national health concern. (newsmax.com) The federal document frames the issue in public-health terms, not just as a parenting or classroom-management debate. HHS said children and adolescents now spend as much or more time on screens as they do sleeping or in school, and national estimates put teenagers at seven to nine hours a day on entertainment screens. (hhs.gov) (bangkokpost.com) ### What, exactly, did Haridopolos say? Stephanie Haridopolos told Newsmax on May 26 that excessive screen time among children and teenagers had become an “urgent public health concern,” according to the outlet’s interview summary. ABC News, in a separate interview published May 20, quoted her urging young people to “live real life” and “be in the moment.” (hhs.gov) HHS identified Haridopolos in its May 20 release as director of national health communications for the Office of the Surgeon General. ABC reported she was the architect of the advisory and had recently been elevated within the office as the surgeon general post remained unfilled. (hhs.gov) ### What does the federal advisory actually claim is harmful? The May 20 HHS advisory links excessive or compulsive screen use to “real-world harm,” including anxiety, depression, obesity and developmental challenges, according to the department’s release. It also lists online exploitation, age-inappropriate content, substance-use promotion and dangerous viral challenges among the risks children can face online. (newsmax.com) The advisory does not set a single national time limit. ABC reported that the document stops short of recommending specific screen-time caps and instead compiles earlier research and recommendations from groups including the American Academy of Pediatrics and studies published in medical journals. (hhs.gov) ### Why is this spilling into school policy? Los Angeles Unified approved a resolution last month to eliminate devices until second grade, set daily and weekly screen limits for higher grades, block YouTube on school devices and ban devices at lunch and recess in elementary and middle school, according to an Associated Press report published May 26. The same report said at least 14 states have proposed laws to limit screen time in schools. (hhs.gov) Fresno Unified, also in California, is spending about $4 million a year to repair and replace laptops and is shifting elementary students to in-class-only computer access, according to AP and EdSource reporting. District officials told EdSource the change was meant to increase instructional time and reduce the classroom disruption caused by broken, forgotten or malfunctioning devices. (abcnews.com) ### Is this only a U.S. debate? Thailand’s education ministry said on May 27 it was preparing regulations on students’ screen time and online content use to protect learning ability. Education Minister Prasert Jantararuangtong said age-based guidelines would be introduced within two weeks and schools would have three months to set rules on mobile-phone use and communicate them to parents. (kvpr.org) Bangkok’s city-run schools began tighter phone controls on May 19, with students required to leave phones with teachers during school hours in the 437 schools overseen by the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration. City officials said the policy responded to concerns about shorter attention spans, worsening eyesight and reduced interaction with teachers and classmates. (kvpr.org) ### What happens next in the U.S.? The HHS toolkit says schools can reduce or ban non-instructional device use, strengthen digital-citizenship education and create more opportunities for in-person engagement. Any broader federal action would likely run through the Office of the Surgeon General and HHS, which released the advisory on May 20 and has cast the issue as requiring action by parents, schools, communities and online platforms. (bangkokpost.com) (hhs.gov) (bangkokpost.com)

Key numbers

• Stephanie Haridopolos said on May 26 that excessive screen use by children and teenagers is an urgent public-health concern tied to health and school performance.
• The Health and Human Services official spoke after HHS on May 20 released a Surgeon General advisory and toolkit describing harmful screen use among children and adolescents as a national health concern.
• Stephanie Haridopolos told Newsmax on May 26 that excessive screen time among children and teenagers had become an “urgent public health concern,” according to the outlet’s interview summary.
• The May 20 HHS advisory links excessive or compulsive screen use to “real-world harm,” including anxiety, depression, obesity and developmental challenges, according to the department’s release.

What happens next

• The Health and Human Services official spoke after HHS on May 20 released a Surgeon General advisory and toolkit describing harmful screen use among children and adolescents as a national health concern.
• Stephanie Haridopolos told Newsmax on May 26 that excessive screen time among children and teenagers had become an “urgent public health concern,” according to the outlet’s interview summary.
• The May 20 HHS advisory links excessive or compulsive screen use to “real-world harm,” including anxiety, depression, obesity and developmental challenges, according to the department’s release.

Sources

• newsmax.com
• hhs.gov
• bangkokpost.com
• abcnews.com
• kvpr.org
• bangkokpost.com

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