Secretary of State Karremans: “Social media can be fun and connecting, but their addictive nature also has a huge downside. Almost 13% of young people are at risk of problematic social media use. We want children to grow up healthy and safe and support parents in that. Therefore, we are now providing clear, unambiguous guidelines to help them.”

The guideline makes a clear distinction between two types of apps: chat apps like WhatsApp and Signal, and social media like Instagram and TikTok. The advice is to let children start using chat apps only in secondary school. Research shows that in those early years they can still be well guided by parents. A gradual build-up helps: first learn to communicate via chat, then get acquainted with social media.

To set a clear standard, a minimum age of 15 years is advised for social media platforms such as Instagram and TikTok. This age limit also aligns with the age limits set by other countries as advice.

The guideline includes tips for parents on how to talk to their child, as well as recommendations for maximum screen time per age category. For children under 2 years, screen use is discouraged, while the advice for youth aged 12 and older is to spend no more than 3 hours a day behind a screen. Additionally, the guideline emphasizes that healthy screen use is more than just limiting time. It also involves balancing screen time with other activities, using media together, and promoting positive online experiences. From a health perspective, the secretary of state advises an age recommendation for the first smartphone starting from grade 8. It is up to caregivers to practice smartphone use with their children earlier for educational or other reasons.

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

In addition to the guideline, Secretary of State Karremans advocates for more European cooperation. Efforts are being made to strengthen European legislation aimed at digital services, particularly focused on the effective implementation of the Digital Services Act (DSA). Additionally, he advocates for uniform age standards for social media across Europe, making compliance and enforcement simpler and more effective.