What’s the Word on Screens in Europe?

Karen Snook
13 minutes ago
3 min read

When it comes to screen time in early childhood, some countries in Europe are getting bold—and we’re paying attention.

Across France and Sweden, government officials and health agencies are starting to say the quiet part out loud: Early exposure to screens isn’t just harmless background noise—it’s a public health issue.

🇫🇷 France: Screens in Europe

In France, leading experts have advised that children under the age of three should have no screen time at all. This isn’t law—yet—but the recommendations are backed by the government and were directly commissioned by President Macron.

Why? Because the evidence is stacking up. Experts are concerned about how screens impact:

Sleep quality
Attention spans
Language development
Social engagement

And they’re not just offering suggestions to parents. France has already taken action in schools, banning mobile phones for children aged 3 to 15 since 2018, with further restrictions rolled out this year.

Geneviève Darrieussecq, French Minister for Children, put it bluntly:

“It’s important to explain to parents... how harmful it is [for children] to spend too much time in front of screens.”

She went on to describe the way screen time can “de-socialise children, lock them into their own bubbles,” and increase the risk of “psychological disorders and malaise.”

In other words, the very things we value in childhood—play, connection, creativity, calm—are being pushed aside by pixels.

🇸🇪 Sweden: Drawing a Clear Line

Meanwhile in Sweden, the government is taking an even firmer stance.

The Swedish Health Authority has now officially stated that children under two should not be exposed to any screens at all, and teenagers should limit their screen use to no more than three hours per day.

This is a major shift—and it comes with strong words from the country’s Minister of Social Affairs, Jakob Forssmed:

“For far too long we have allowed screens and apps to steal time and attention at the cost of what we know is needed to feel well.”

He’s not wrong.

The updated guidance also includes:

No screens before bedtime
No screens allowed in bedrooms at night
A call for “more healthy, conscious and responsible use” of digital media by families

Forssmed didn’t hold back on the bigger picture either:

“Children’s health is paying the price for tech companies’ profits.”

So... What About Us?

Here in the UK, we’ve yet to see national guidelines this direct or strong. But we believe it’s coming.

The conversations are starting. Parents, educators, and policymakers are waking up to what tech in the early years is really costing us.

And that’s why Unplugged Early Years exists.

We’re here to start the conversation early—birth to five—so we’re not playing catch-up later. Because prevention is more powerful than repair.

We don’t believe in shame or fear. But we do believe in clarity. In conscious choices. In giving parents and carers the tools to take control of the digital environment their children are growing up in.