Ages 16–17
Screen time and online safety for ages 16–17
Almost adults online. The risks shift to scams, identity, finances and digital footprint.
Screen time — what experts recommend
Protect sleep, movement, schoolwork and offline relationships. Choose content and agree manageable boundaries together. A time target alone cannot establish whether use is healthy or harmful.
UK context: Separate family rules from formal guidance. Canada’s linked guideline suggests no more than 2 hours of recreational screen time for ages 5–17; this is not a UK rule or a quota specifically for social media. The UK activity guidance and international sleep advice address other parts of the day.
Total time across phone, tablet, TV, console and computer combined (school work usually excluded).
Evidence and practical considerations
- Research and advisories describe associations between some patterns of social-media use and poorer wellbeing, with important differences between people. A time threshold is not a diagnosis.
- Never let someone use your bank account to move unexplained money. If you suspect a scam, contact your bank promptly and use the official fraud-reporting service.
- Other people can copy or share online posts. Discuss consent and privacy without suggesting that being targeted is the child’s fault.
Sources around the world
- UK Chief Medical Officers’ physical activity guidelines (July 2026)
UK Chief Medical Officers · UK
- 24-Hour Movement Guidelines, ages 5–17
Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology · Canada (international guidance)
- Sleep duration guidance
NHLBI / US National Institutes of Health · USA (international guidance)
Typical digital behaviours
- Banking apps, BNPL, crypto curiosity
- Job and uni applications online
- Adult relationships and dating apps (often under-age)
Risks that actually matter
- Money-mule recruitment — being paid to let money pass through their bank account (a criminal offence in the UK)
- Fake job and ‘easy money’ adverts on TikTok, Snapchat, Telegram and WhatsApp
- Student-finance and university scams: fake Student Loans Company texts, bogus accommodation deposits
- Investment, crypto and trading-app scams, often promoted by influencers
- Online gambling and gambling-style mechanics (loot boxes, spread betting, ‘prediction’ apps)
- Romance scams and deepfake extortion
- Permanent digital footprint affecting jobs and uni
Settings worth changing tonight
- Strong, unique passwords + a password manager
- Lock down old social accounts they’ve forgotten
- Set spending limits and turn on transaction alerts in banking apps
- Use GAMSTOP self-exclusion and bank gambling blocks if betting apps appear
How to talk about it
- Talk about what they’d do if blackmailed online
- “No legitimate job asks to use your bank account” — explain money muling and that it can freeze their account for years
- Agree that anything urgent about money or student finance gets checked with you first
- Show them Action Fraud and how to report a scam
- Agree it’s fine to call you for a ride — no questions
Red flags worth investigating
- Unexplained money in or out
- Talk of ‘easy money’ opportunities online
- New payment or crypto apps they won't discuss
If you want to know more from the experts
Studies, guidance and background reading
Hand-picked from paediatricians, regulators, academic journals and investigative reporting around the world. Open in a new tab.
- ArticleReport Fraud replaces Action FraudReport Fraud / City of London PoliceEngland, Wales and Northern Ireland: Report Fraud. Scotland: Police Scotland on 101. Contact your bank promptly about suspected fraud.
- ArticleMoney mules — how young people are recruited and what it costs themCifasFraud-prevention guidance about recruitment and consequences; outcomes depend on the individual circumstances.
- ArticleStop. Challenge. Protect. — spotting job, investment and impersonation scamsTake Five to Stop Fraud (UK Finance)UK banking-industry campaign with scripts for checking any money request.
- ArticleSpotting student finance scamsStudent Loans Company / GOV.UKFake SLC texts and emails spike around each term's payment dates.
- ReportScamSmart — investment and crypto scam warningsFinancial Conduct AuthorityCheck any investment firm against the FCA register before money moves.
- ReportYoung People and Gambling SurveyUK Gambling Commission (2024)Survey of young people’s gambling activity; a survey does not establish that loot boxes cause problem gambling.
- ArticleFree UK gambling support and self-exclusionGamCare / GAMSTOPNational GamCare helpline 0808 8020 133; GAMSTOP blocks UK-licensed gambling sites.
- ReportFinancial Sextortion Targeting Minors — Public Service AnnouncementFBI / IC3Tactics used against teen boys via Instagram and Snapchat.
- StudyAssociations between screen time and lower psychological well-being among children and adolescentsPreventive Medicine Reports (2018)Twenge & Campbell — large US dataset; an association, not a causal test.
- ArticleTeens, Social Media and Technology 2024Pew Research Center
- StudyScreen time and sleep among school-aged children and adolescents: a systematic literature reviewSleep Medicine Reviews (2015)Review of 67 studies; most found associations with shorter or later sleep. Causation was not established and results varied.