Sweden Introduces New Parental Phone-Use Guidelines and School Smartphone Ban

Following a 2024 government commission, Sweden’s Public Health Agency examined how adult screen use affects children’s health. Its research linked heavy parental smartphone use to reduced interaction and to similar screen habits in children. The agency built on 2024 child-screen guidelines that set age-based limits, issuing updated guidance in June 2026.

Sweden urges parents to limit phone use around childrenSweden Agency Advises Parents Limit Phone Use Around ChildrenThe GuardianSalon

The agency advises parents to keep phones away when they are with their child, using devices only when necessary or together with the child. It designates bedrooms and dining tables as screen-free zones and urges families to “think before posting pictures or videos.” Age-based limits remain: no screens for children under two, one hour per day for ages two-five, two hours for ages six-12, and three hours for ages thirteen-18, with no device use in the hours before bedtime and removal of phones, tablets and computers from bedrooms at night. The Education Act will ban mobile phones in schools for pupils up to grade nine (approximately 15-16 years) from the start of the 2026-27 autumn term.

The Guardian

Minister Jakob Forssmed warned that many adults underestimate how their screen habits affect children. Psychiatrist Helena Frielingsdorf emphasized the modeling effect, noting that children learn from adult behaviour as much as from adult words. The agency’s statement presented the guidance as a practical step toward healthier family interaction and digital privacy.

Sweden urges parents to limit phone use around children

The agency’s report links higher parental screen-time intensity with a proportional increase in children’s screen use. Sweden’s prior child-screen guidelines cap toddlers at zero screens, set a maximum of one hour daily for ages two-five, two hours for ages six-12, and three hours for ages thirteen-18, with strict nighttime restrictions. The upcoming school ban will affect roughly all students up to grade nine, an estimated 800 000 pupils nationwide. The research also notes that the correlation persists across socioeconomic groups.

The Guardian

The school smartphone ban will take effect at the start of the 2026-27 autumn term. The Public Health Agency plans to monitor compliance through periodic surveys and to revise the guidance as new evidence becomes available.

The Guardian

• “I don’t think people realise that [their screen use] affects children to the extent that we now know that it does,” — Jakob Forssmed, Minister of Social Affairs

The Guardian

• “Children are influenced not only by what adults say, but also by what adults do,” — Helena Frielingsdorf, Psychiatrist, Public Health Agency

Sweden urges parents to limit phone use around children

• “Put your phone away when you’re with your child. Use it only if you need to or when you’re using it together,” — Public Health Agency of Sweden statement

The Guardian

• “protect and respect your child online. Think before posting pictures or videos.” — Public Health Agency of Sweden statement

The Guardian