KUALA LUMPUR: Singapore is set to introduce measures to address device usage and screen time among children.
The city-state's Health Minister Ong Ye Kung and Social and Family Development Minister Masagos said that after months of discussions, their ministries have decided to oversee key touchpoints for children up to six years old.
"We need more decisive and effective measures to shape device usage habits. We should provide clearer and more definitive advice consistently across all healthcare settings, with frequent reminders. Implementation in preschools and encouragement of adoption at home are also essential," the ministers said in separate Facebook posts earlier today.
They announced that initiatives would be unveiled in the coming months.
"The impact of screen time on young children can be profound, and we must take steps to ensure appropriate usage to protect them from potential long-term harm."
On Monday, US Surgeon General Dr Vivek Murthy called for social media platforms to include health warnings for younger users.
In an op-ed published in the New York Times, he argued for warning labels indicating that social media is associated with significant mental health risks for adolescents, urging action from the US Congress.
"The mental health crisis among young people is urgent, with social media playing a significant role. Adolescents spending more than three hours daily on social media face double the risk of anxiety and depression symptoms. As of summer last year, the average daily use in this age group was 4.8 hours."
"It's time to mandate a surgeon general's warning label on social media platforms, highlighting the mental health risks associated with its use by adolescents," he concluded.