Kids under six should avoid screen time, French medical experts say

Five leading French medical societies have called for a complete ban on screens (TVs, tablets, smartphones) for children under six, warning of permanent damage to brain development, The Guardian reported. In an open letter to the government, they stated screens “hinder and alter brain development,” causing language delays, attention deficits, and impaired social-emotional growth. Current French guidelines already discourage screens before age three and limit use for 3-6-year-olds.

The experts emphasized that no screen content—even educational—is suitable for young brains, advocating alternatives like reading, outdoor play, and board games. They noted disproportionate harm in disadvantaged households, widening social inequalities.

Recent data shows French preschoolers averaged 1 hour 47 minutes of daily screen time in 2014-15, with little policy progress since. The appeal follows France’s existing middle-school phone ban and aligns with former PM Gabriel Attal’s proposal to bar under-15s from social media and impose teen “curfews.” The information was sourced by French pediatric, public health, and psychiatric societies; 2014-15 government report.