The news: The surgeon general’s office issued a warning that excessive screen time poses a public health risk to children and teens. The advisory refers to screen time as time spent using digital technologies, including smartphones, tablets, chatbots, and video games. It urges limits on screen time and scrolling so children and teens can “live real life.”

Why it matters: Screen time rises with age among consumers under 18, and the surgeon general’s office warns that excessive screen use among young people is linked to various health harms.

Children’s average daily screen time increases with age. Kids ages 8 to 12 spend an average of 4 hours per day on screens, rising to 8 hours among teens ages 13 to 18, according to the surgeon general’s office. Nearly half of adolescents admit they lose track of how much time they spend on their phones, per a PubMed study cited by the government.

Heavy screen time can be harmful to one’s health. The advisory links social media use to mental health effects, including anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, and body image issues, as well as addiction and other harms such as sextortion, online gambling, and substance use.

Consumers under 18 spend more time on some social media platforms than any other generation, per EMARKETER forecast data.

• US TikTok users ages 12 to 17 spend 1 hour, 18 minutes per day on the platform—the most of any age group we measure. Users under 11 spend 1 hour daily, ranking third highest.