Concerns over children’s screen time and social media use are intensifying in Belgium, as experts warn of a growing health and wellbeing crisis. On 2025-05-06 10:43:00, a group of seventeen leading scientists and specialists, including psychiatrist Dirk De Wachter and neurologist Steven Laureys, published an open letter through the citizen movement Kids Unplugged. They highlight the harmful effects of excessive smartphone and social media use on young brains and emotional health.
- Experts urge urgent action on screen overuse
- Smartphones harm children's brain and wellbeing
- Call for stricter social media regulations
- Raise social media age limit to 16
- Promote healthy screen habits in education
- Minister supports tougher rules on tech firms
The letter stresses that children are getting smartphones at younger ages, exposing them to risks such as poor school performance, mental health issues, and harmful online content like cyberbullying and radicalization. With alarming evidence pointing to sleep problems, anxiety, and social development delays, the experts call for urgent government action. But what specific steps are needed to protect Belgian youth from digital harm?
This pressing issue demands more than just media literacy and parental controls. The experts propose concrete policy changes and stricter regulations to safeguard children’s digital wellbeing, setting the stage for a national debate on responsible screen use.
Why is the current approach insufficient? The experts argue that mere awareness campaigns and parental supervision cannot tackle the root causes of digital addiction and exposure to harmful content. They recommend:
- Updating official advice on children’s screen and social media use based on new research;
- Creating an expert group to develop concrete policies;
- Supporting stricter European regulations on addictive algorithms and tech company liability;
- Raising the minimum social media age to 16, following France and Australia’s example.
As Belgium faces the digital challenges of the future, will policymakers heed these expert calls and act decisively? Parents, educators, and lawmakers must unite to foster healthier digital habits and ensure children grow up safe in an increasingly online world.
