The Conversation on Regulating Screen Use Among Minors Must Be Opened: President

ByDarren García

This article by Darren García originally appeared in the June 17, 2026 edition of Contralínea, a Mexican investigative-journalism newspaper.

In Mexico, the discussion with society about screen time among young people and children must be opened. In recent years the use of mobile devices has increased and can have consequences for their health, President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo warned.

“There are many studies showing how anxiety in young people has a lot to do with attachment to the screen; in many places in the world it is already classified as an addiction,” the head of state added at her presidential press conference.

“It’s something we have to discuss socially, […] I would not want to send the law and have it voted on like that, rather it is necessary that it be discussed.” In fact, she mentioned that recently her government conducted a survey of mothers and fathers about not allowing the use of phones in schools at, at least, the basic education level. The result: the majority agreed with the proposal.

Among the implications of prolonged use of electronic devices in young people and children is the reduction in hours of sleep, which she criticized because, “sleep is something vital […] children grow while they sleep, in every sense. Sleep allows storing and processing information, resting, and so on.”

In fact, President Sheinbaum suggested that her administration carry out a campaign in favor of adequate hours of sleep, which could take shape in a “very catchy” song, “so that mothers and fathers would tell the children: it’s time to sleep, the cell phone is being taken away, the tablet is being taken away.”

On the other hand, among children and young people the use of social networks can develop anxiety, because, at that stage of life, while personality is developing, they are prone to give a lot of importance to what is said on the platforms, in the form of likes, or approvals.

She recalled a personal anecdote from her last tour to Manzanillo, in Sonora, where she asked the girls and boys gathered there how many hours they dedicated to using social networks on their phones. The answers surprised the head of state, since, she said, they used the devices two, three, and up to four hours a day on platforms like TikTok.

In addition, she pointed out that there should be regulation directed at the use of artificial intelligence, which until now does not exist. “It doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be used, since obviously it is a very important tool, but it is very important that in Mexico we open that discussion and make decisions soon.”