Government presents ‘Guidelines for healthy and responsible screen and social media use’

Clear age standards for social media

The guideline clearly distinguishes between two types of apps: chat apps such as WhatsApp and Signal, and social media platforms such as Instagram and TikTok. The advice is to allow children to start using chat apps only when they enter secondary school. Research shows that during those initial years, parents can still guide them effectively. A gradual approach helps: first learn to communicate via chat, and only then become acquainted with social media.

To establish a clear standard, a minimum age of 15 is recommended for social media platforms such as Instagram and TikTok. This age limit also corresponds with the recommended age limits introduced by other countries.

Healthy screen use

In addition to tips for parents on how to talk with their child, the guideline contains recommendations for maximum screen time per age group. Screen use is discouraged for children under the age of 2, while the advice for young people aged 12 and over is to spend no more than 3 hours a day in front of a screen. The guideline also emphasises that healthy screen use involves more than limiting time. It is also about balancing screen time with other activities, using media together, and promoting positive online experiences. From a health perspective, the State Secretary recommends that children receive their first smartphone from year 8 of primary school onwards. It is up to caregivers to decide, for example for educational or other reasons, whether to start practising smartphone use with their children earlier.

After the summer, the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations will launch a public information campaign to help parents with their child's first smartphone use. They will receive practical tips to protect their child online. The guideline is part of the campaign.

European cooperation

In addition to the guideline, State Secretary Karremans is calling for greater European cooperation. Efforts are being made to strengthen European legislation on digital services, particularly with regard to the effective implementation of the Digital Services Act (DSA). He is also calling for uniform age standards for social media across Europe, so that compliance and enforcement become easier and more effective.