Britain has advised parents to limit young children’s screen time, recommending no screens for children under 2 and no more than one hour per day for those aged 2 to 5, warning that excessive solo use can interfere with sleep and reduce time for play and physical activity.

Governments around the world are increasingly tightening regulations on children’s online activity. Countries such as France, Denmark, and the Netherlands are introducing new age-verification and safety measures over concerns about mental health risks, cyberbullying, and exposure to harmful content, according to Reuters.

Indonesia has tightened rules as well, banning children under 16 from using Roblox starting Saturday after the government labeled the platform as high-risk.

In Britain, guidance issued on Thursday regarding tablets, TVs, laptops, and smartphones represents the government’s most direct effort yet to address young children’s digital habits, noting that parents have previously been left to “battle” devices on their own.

The guidance advises parents to avoid screens during mealtimes and the hour before bedtime, choose slow-paced, age-appropriate content, and engage with children while they use devices to promote early language and social development.

“My government ⁠will not leave parents to face this battle alone,” Prime Minister Keir Starmer said in a statement.

He emphasized that families require “clear, common-sense” guidance in the face of rapidly evolving technology and conflicting online information.

Britain and other European countries are also considering broader online-safety measures for older children, such as setting minimum ages for social media, imposing overnight curfews, and limiting access to AI chatbots.