16% of students are addicted to this thing

The Ministry of Health publishes today (Thursday) a series of new recommendations to reduce the use of screens and social networks among children and teenagers. Among other things, the ministry recommends waiting until the age of 13 before purchasing a smartphone for children, and not allowing connection to social networks before the age of 15. At younger ages, the recommendations are even stricter: avoiding screens until the age of two and limiting them to only one hour a day for children aged two to five.

The Ministry of Health now defines the use of screens and social networks as a significant health issue, and not just as a behavioral or online safety issue. “We recognize it as a very important field, at a level that is really critical in its impact on public health, on mental health and on health in general,” said the Director General of the Ministry of Health, Moshe Bar Siman Tov.

According to him, unlike health risks such as smoking, in this case it is impossible to recommend to the public to simply avoid it completely. “It’s not right to tell the public not to use screens and social networks at all, it’s part of life,” he explained. “The screens and social networks change almost everything we do – our physical activity, how much we eat, our sleep, our cognitive development and our mental health.”

Six hours or more a day in front of a screen

The recommendations are published against the background of data according to which Israel is among the leading countries in problematic use of social networks. According to HBSC research data for the year 2025, 16.3% of students in Israel are defined as “addicts” to electronic social media, and 28.7% of 7th-12th grade students spend six hours or more a day in front of screens outside of school hours.

“It’s a health issue and not just a behavioral one,” emphasized Bar Siman Tov. According to him, the goal is not to scare the parents but to give them tools to deal with a reality where the screens have become an integral part of family life. “We as parents feel powerless, whether it is in front of ourselves or in front of our children. We believe in the ability of the parents and in the tools given to them to deal with it.”

According to the recommendations, up to the age of two, exposure to screens, including screens running in the background, should be avoided as much as possible. At the age of two to five it is recommended to limit screen time to one hour a day, and at the age of six to nine – at least two hours a day during leisure time. Children aged 10 to 12 are recommended to allow up to three hours of screen time a day during leisure time.

“During infancy, we recommend avoiding it completely if possible,” explained Dr. Sharon Levy, director of the Department of Education and Health Promotion at the Ministry of Health. “At this stage, the development of the interpersonal relationship and the relationship with the parents is so special and important. Even running screens in the background can interfere with the quality of attention.”

No screens in the bedrooms

Among 13 to 18 year olds the emphasis changes. Instead of setting a uniform hour limit, the office recommends focusing on the quality of the content, reducing screen time and ensuring that the use does not come at the expense of sleep, physical activity and social gatherings. They also recommend setting fixed times without screens, including family meals, spending time together and the time before bed – and to avoid bringing smartphones and laptops into the children’s bedrooms as much as possible.

Even when it comes to the first phone, the ministry presents clear milestones: at the age of 9 to 11, it is possible, depending on the child’s need and readiness, to start using a non-smart mobile phone. “The first smartphone is recommended to be postponed until the age of 13, and at first without access to social networks,” said Dr. Levy. “Connecting to social networks – not before the age of 15. Everything should be done accompanied, with rules and controls.”

Dr. Gilad Bodenheimer, head of the mental health division at the Ministry of Health, explained that in addition to the advantages of technology, the use of screens may delay significant processes in the child’s development. According to him, among the effects that must be taken into account are a decrease in physical activity, social isolation and damage to body image and eating habits.

Dr. Bodenheimer particularly emphasized the role of the parents in the matter. “Unlike many other things in parenting where we received an inheritance from our parents and grandparents, here we have nothing to inherit. We didn’t receive a Torah from grandma that says how to behave in front of a screen,” he said. “Our role as parents is to be present. We need to understand that we have the ability to influence screen time and the places where our children surf. A parent must be involved and know where the child is surfing.”

According to him, there is no intention to “outright rule out” the use of screens, but to gradually create control and responsibility. “We understand that this world includes many positive values, but alongside this we need an approach that helps control the use. We can manage it together with the children and achieve control, responsibility, authority and parental presence during the child’s screen time.”

Negative effect on sleep

The office also warns of the effect on sleep: using screens in the hours before bed may delay falling asleep and damage the quality and duration of sleep, and subsequently cause fatigue, difficulty concentrating and damage to emotional regulation.

The Ministry of Health clarifies that the publication of the recommendations is only the beginning of the move. “This is not a zabang event and we are done,” Bar Siman Tov said. “The screens are constantly in our lives and we are creating another field of activity in public health and mental health. This will enter our system and grow.”

The move is expected to include, according to him, also an examination of regulatory measures. “We need to increase awareness and provide tools, but this will have to be backed by regulation,” he said. “We will have to produce the Israeli version. This is not something that the Ministry of Health can do alone, but it is part of our responsibility to push for action on this issue.”