Neither advisory sets a starting age. Both say to make a family plan, protect sleep, and teach your child how social media works before they start - with closer adult involvement in the early teens.
Summarised from the positions below. Follow the links for the full guidance.| Question | US Surgeon General Advisory, 2023 | American Psychological Association Health advisory, 2023 | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting age | No minimum age set | No minimum age set; depends on maturity and home | Agree |
| Family rules | Make a family media plan; tech-free zones at home | Adult monitoring in early adolescence (about 10–14) | Agree |
| Sleep | Not addressed as a specific rule | Protect at least 8 hours; avoid use in the hour before bed | One source only |
| Before they start | Teach them about technology and responsible use | Social media literacy training | Agree |
Reviews what is known and not yet known about social media and youth mental health, and asks families, companies and policymakers to act.
Ten recommendations based on the research to date, including adult monitoring in early adolescence, protecting sleep and physical activity, and social media literacy training before use begins.
An online tool from the American Academy of Pediatrics for agreeing screen and device rules as a family.
Using data on more than 350,000 adolescents, the study found that digital technology use explained at most 0.4% of the variation in well-being - a negative but very small association on average.
A meta-analysis of 42 studies. More screen use was linked to weaker language skills, while co-viewing with an adult and better-quality programmes were linked to stronger skills.