The government has previously had the Public Health Agency develop recommendations for screen time for children and is investigating an age limit for social media.
Now we go one step further.
We want the Public Health Agency to review the evidence, and if supported, to come up with proposals for a rule, recommendation or guideline on when one should have their first smartphone, says Jakob Forssmed.
Early mobile debut
Today, 90 percent of Swedish 10-year-olds and 95 percent of 11-year-olds have a smartphone.
"We are concerned about a development where children have gone from a play-based childhood to a smartphone-based childhood. Children have a note-taking device that is constantly connected," he says.
It affects sleep and mental health, and Swedish children are particularly affected, according to the minister.
We want to be modern, and that has also led to us giving children smartphones very early in Sweden. We also now have the most sedentary children in the Nordic region.
A smartphone is also worse than a tablet or computer because it is constantly present, according to Forssmed.
Researchers he has been in contact with point out that there are reasons to postpone the age at which children get their first phone. He himself does not want to say what age might be appropriate, but he does give a guideline.
"I can personally say that the researchers I talk to about this are talking about 13-14 years."
Presented this summer
He also points to Denmark and Finland, where various authorities set 13 years as a guideline.
An age limit could be presented as early as June 30 this year, when the investigation's partial report is published, and the Public Health Agency will then disseminate the information to the public. This could be of great help to parents, according to Forssmed.
Then those who want to introduce a smartphone earlier will have to justify it, rather than parents who want to wait having to justify it to their children or other parents, says Forssmed.
