Screen Time and the Developing Brain: Research, Benefits, Risks, and Policy

The panel discussion Screen Time and the Developing Brain: Research, Benefits, Risks, and Policy, organized by Brain Canada and hosted by the Canadian Science Policy Centre, focused on the impact of impacts of digital technology, or screen time, on children and youth and the policy opportunities to address these impacts.  

Key points included the importance of co-viewing for young children, and the complex relationship between screen use and mental health, and the need for rigorous research to understand the effects of screen use (acknowledging the importance of looking at who, what, and how). Panelists highlighted the need for evidence-based policies, industry collaboration, and digital literacy to mitigate risks. They also emphasized the unique challenges for neurodivergent individuals and the importance of balancing screen use benefits with potential harms. The session underscored the urgency of ongoing research and policy framework development in this rapidly evolving field. 

Guidelines for screen use and young children: Co-viewing is key 

Panelist Dr. Michelle Ponti, a pediatrician and chair of the Canadian Pediatric Society’s Digital Task Force, shared that screen use is one of the most commonly cited problems raised in clinical practice. The Society’s guidance around screen use is age-specific. Dr. Ponti emphasized the importance of co-viewing, where a parent is present to help children understand and contextualize what they’re seeing. Dr. Patricia Conrod, Professor of Psychiatry, co-lead on a Brain Canada funded platform called C-PIP, and incoming Scientific Director of CIHR’s Institute of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Addiction, emphasized that establishing a family norm of co-viewing early on can make it easier to continue during adolescence, when teens start to seek autonomy in their screen use.  

Dr. Ponti also advocated for using the “4M” principles for healthy screen use: manage screen time through plans, rules and limits; encourage meaningful screen use; model healthy screen use; and monitor for signs of problematic screen use. Her overall message was about being intentional and strategic about screen use, particularly for very young children, and ensuring parental involvement and guidance. 

Mental health effects of screen use on adolescents: Long-term negative effects, reported benefits 

Panelist Dr. Conrod shared the results of a series of studies she conducted showing that an increase in social media use is associated with a decrease in self-esteem and a growth of symptoms associated with eating disorders among adolescents. One study on the type of media and content found that social media use is associated with enduring negative effects on both aggressivity and impulsivity, while other media such as television content seem to have only short-time negative effects.  

Dr. Munmun De Choudhury, Associate Professor of Interactive Computing at Georgia Tech who contributed to the former U.S. Surgeon General’s work on social connection, raised some of the reported benefits of screen use. For example, social media offers a way to connect with others, helps individuals facing mental health challenges to understand their symptoms, and provides reassurance that they are not alone in their experience. Social media allows neurodivergent individuals to define their own social norms and can be empowering by offering a sense of connection and shared experience.  

However, Dr. Emma Duerden, Associate Professor of Applied Psychology holding a Chair in Neuroscience and Learning Disorders at Western University and lead of a Brain Canada-funded platform called SPRINT, cautioned that neurodivergent children might be more drawn to screens and could spend more time on them, potentially reducing time for other important therapies and social skill development. 

Dr. Sara Grimes, Professor in Communication Studies and the Wolfe Chair in Scientific and Technological Literacy at McGill University, discussed the benefits of technology from a children’s rights perspective, referencing the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. For example, digital technologies can support children’s rights to information, education, play, cultural and creative activities, and self-expression. However, Dr. Grimes emphasized that while benefits exist, children also want more transparency about data use and algorithmic processes. She stressed the importance of balancing protection from harm with children’s access to digital rights and opportunities. 

Developmental effects of screen use on children: Brain changes and displacement 

he key message from Dr. Duerden was that screen time can disrupt normal brain connectivity and developmental processes, especially when it replaces other essential developmental activities (a phenomenon called displacement). For example, screen use can reduce time for activities like sleep, physical activity, and social interactions, which are critical for healthy brain development. Given that brain development continues into late 20s and early 30s, the impact of screen time is potentially significant.  

Dr. Duerden explained that screen use can be associated with changes in the brain’s cognitive control centre and potential disconnection between brain regions responsible for executive functions, decision-making, and social processing. Brain imaging studies on very young children show that excessive screen exposure raises the risk of developmental delays, particularly language delays. For older children and teens, Dr. Duerden noted that exceeding the two-hour daily screen time guideline is associated with risks of anxiety and depression. Some of the teens coming into Dr. Duerden’s laboratory are spending 13-15 hours a day on screens. 

Panelist Vidhi Desai, recent graduate of the University of Calgary and incoming Masters’ student at McGill University, described her experience as a behavioural aide to children with autism, where she saw firsthand how digital overexposure impacts social-emotional development. Vidhi also noted the neurodevelopmental consequences of screen overuse, particularly how excessive passive screen time can impair children’s ability to engage in reciprocal communication, emotional regulation, and sustained attention. Importantly, Vidhi emphasized that many parents she worked with were already acutely aware of these developmental concerns. She shared examples of caregivers who were proactively trying to reduce screen time by setting clear boundaries, encouraging more face-to-face interaction, and promoting hands-on, sensory-rich activities.  

Recommendations

Recommendation #1: Invest in rigorous research – in partnership with industry – to understand the effects of screen use 

Dr. Conrod emphasized the importance of additional research into long-term effects going forward. The panelists noted that current research is often limited, with mixed findings, and stressed the need for longitudinal studies to better understand the complex effects of digital technologies on developing brains and to inform evidence-based policy. Dr. De Choudhury, who contributed to a U.S. National Academy of Sciences report on this topic, indicated that the biggest bottleneck to policy development at this point is limited data on the algorithms used by tech companies, which prevents independent researchers from conducting thorough investigations into how screen use is affecting children. She emphasized that research on this topic needs to be conducted in collaboration with technology companies, so that researchers can have access to what is now locked behind industry doors – data and algorithms. 

Recommendation #2: Develop a digital health and wellness strategy co-developed with youth 

The panelists agreed that bans are not the most effective policy tool for addressing the challenge of screen use and children. In fact, Dr. Ponti pointed out that bans make children want their screens more.  

Ms. Desai suggested that current evidence be translated into a comprehensive strategy that goes beyond simple restrictions and involves young people in developing solutions. Specifically, she called for a formal digital health and wellness strategy for Canada co-designed with students that includes national media literacy education and public funding for community-based programs promoting screen-life balance. She also raised an important consideration for these efforts about meeting youth where they are – online.  

Dr. Ponti advocated for digital literacy skills to be integrated into educational curriculum. She referenced Media Smarts, Canada’s Centre for Digital Media Literacy, as a valuable resource. Dr. De Choudhury highlighted the importance of teaching self-awareness for digital mental health; for example, noticing a pattern of low mood and anxiety when scrolling social media and choosing to take a break. 

Recommendation #3: Develop policies that balance protection from harm with access to digital benefits 

Panelists agreed that the digital system needs to be safe for children and youth, and that regulation should exist to restrict digital products. 

Dr. Grimes acknowledged that digital literacy and having healthy technology habits is important – but that research shows we also need to address the fact that companies are intentionally exploiting our ability to regulate ourselves. Some video games, for example, are designed to generate anxious feelings in a child before they finish their game or chapter. These designs aim to prolong engagement and game use. AI promises to allow companies to customize this manipulation further to specific children going forward. Dr. Grimes emphasized the need for technology companies to be part of the policy conversation. Children have a right to play and parents won’t be able to handle the addictive nature of these games alone – companies need to be held accountable for their role.  

Dr. Grimes shared the U.K. Children’s Code as an example of an effective policy framework. The Children’s Code applies to any internet-connected product or service that is likely to be accessed by a person under the age of 18. It requires online services to be designed in the “best interests” of children and their health, safety, and privacy. For example, this code has reduced the presence of advertisements featuring restricted content in child-oriented iOS apps (including games) using child accounts; as a result, children in the UK and Canada are viewing far fewer adult-oriented advertisements on this platform.  

As Dr. De Choudhury pointed out, “the cat is out of the bag” – digital technology is here, it is pervasive in young people’s lives, and it is rapidly evolving. We need to do all that we can to create safer, more collaborative digital environments