Overview
- Società Italiana di Pediatria now advises no unsupervised internet access or personal smartphones before 13 and recommends postponing social media use ideally until 18.
- The updated guidance was unveiled in the Italian Senate at the Stati generali della pediatria and is aimed at families, schools, and clinicians rather than creating new rules.
- SIP cites developmental risks, with its president warning that each additional year without a smartphone benefits children’s attention, learning, and emotional regulation.
- The review highlights associations such as doubled language delay risk with 30 extra daily minutes of device use under age two and reduced sleep of about 15 minutes per added screen hour in ages 3–5.
- Italy’s education minister urged principals not to return phones during school breaks, while the recommendations also call for no devices at meals or before bedtime and stronger digital education.