Ask an expert: Teens and screen time

In this episode of Likes and Limits, in partnership with Instagram, host (and mum) Pia Miranda speaks with psychologist and digital wellbeing expert Jocelyn Brewer about all things teens and screens.

Watch the episode below, or jump to the ‘I want to know more about…’ section for more resources and tips.

Download a video transcript.

I want to know more about…

Addiction to screens and social media

The word ‘addiction’ is thrown around a lot when talking about teens, screens and social media. And while your teen might be displaying addiction-like behaviours, addiction to screens or social media isn’t actually recognised as a clinical disorder. In fact, a 2022 study found that actual screen addiction is rare.

While it’s comforting to know that it’s rare to be genuinely addicted to life online, excessive screen time can still have a big impact on a teen’s wellbeing. Jocelyn suggests keeping an eye on your teen’s sleep patterns and physical activity. Things like disrupted sleep may point to a need for healthier screen time habits.

If you’ve noticed your teen is struggling with too much screen or social media use, try implementing screen time limits and encouraging a shift in habits for the whole family. Find practical strategies for how to do this below. If your teen is really struggling with addiction-like behaviours, consider reaching out for professional support.

It’s also important to remember that social media is a core aspect of teen friendships today. Some teens may not actually want to be spending a lot of time on social media but are worried they’ll miss out on key moments or that they’ll be the odd one out. Learn more about managing peer pressure in teens.

How to set screen time limits for teens

Setting screen time limits can feel challenging, but it’s an essential step in fostering healthier tech habits in your family. Minimise conflict with your teen by being ‘curious, not furious’ and by being willing to meet them halfway.

Hear how Jocelyn suggests parents and carers approach conversations about screen time limits with their teens.

Download a video transcript.

Practical tips for setting screen time limits

• Reflect on your own habits. It’s not very fair to ask your teen to change their behaviour without also changing your own, as your teen will likely point out. Consider any limits you’d like to set for yourself, and be honest about these with your family.

• Have an open family discussion. Calmly raise any concerns you have about unhealthy screen habits and give your teen the space to share their thoughts. This chat will help you both get on the same page and to understand why your teen is spending a lot of time online. 

• Do a family screen audit. Reflect on how much time you and your family spend on screens, how long each session lasts, and what activities you’re using screens for. You’ll then be able to figure out where you can make changes. 

• Create a family agreement. This allows you to set clear expectations around screen time and social media use. 

• Implement parental controls. Controls can help you to manage your teen’s time online, as well as what they see and who they interact with. While these are very handy, it’s also important to establish healthy screen habits, rather than rely solely on restrictions. Visit the eSafety website to learn how to set up parental controls.

• Use platform tools. Most social platforms have tools that you can turn on which can help encourage healthier screen habits. Learn more about platform tools below.

Get more advice on how to help your teen manage their social media usage.

Tools for managing screen time

Many social media platforms and devices offer in-built tools to help manage screen time. Here are some easy-to-use features to get you started:

• Teen Accounts (Instagram): Teen Accounts have in-built time limit reminders after 60 minutes of app usage. They also automatically turn on Sleep mode between 10 pm and 7 am, which mutes notifications overnight and sends auto-replies to direct messages (DMs). All teens aged 13–16 will have these account settings by default.

• Quiet Mode (Instagram): Turn off notifications and send an auto-reply to DMs. Learn how to enable Quiet Mode.

• Take a Break (Instagram): Turn on ‘break reminders’ that encourage you to take time off the app after a set period of time. Learn how to set up break reminders on Instagram.

• Parent Supervision (Instagram): See how much time your teen is spending on the platform, and set limits on daily use. Learn how to set up parent supervision on Instagram.

• Family Pairing (TikTok): Set a daily screen time limit for your teen, see how much time they spend on the app, and decide when to mute their push notifications. Learn how to set up Family Pairing on TikTok. 

• Screen Time (Apple): Set limits, track usage and schedule screen-free time. Learn how to set up Screen Time settings on an Apple device.

• Digital Wellbeing (Samsung): Set a screen time goal, set timers for different apps, and put your device into sleep mode. Learn how to set up Digital Wellbeing tools on a Samsung device.

Read our guide to digital privacy and safety to learn more about different social media platform safety tools. You can usually find specific information about how to set up safety tools on different social media platforms via the platform’s website or safety centre.