The city is coming up with the rule to make families aware of the time they spend on their phones. The two-hour limit applies not only to children, but also to adults. Mayor Masafumi Koki said recently that the measure should “prevent excessive use of devices, which can lead to physical and mental health problems.”
The directive, in effect from October, states that elementary school children are advised not to use phones after 9 p.m. Teens should put their smartphones away after 10 p.m. In addition, the city suggests that educators make clear agreements about screen use.
Toyoake officials received dozens of phone calls and emails with complaints after the directive was proposed last month. Among other things, people said the rule is an attack on individual freedom. Others said a two-hour limit is simply impossible, as watching a movie sometimes already takes longer.
The mayor does not plan to enforce the rule. It is a non-binding guideline to make people aware of their behavior. According to Mayor Koki, adults spend a lot of time on their phones that they could also spend on family or their sleep.
Healthy screen use is a topic of discussion worldwide. The Netherlands has also had an official government guideline specifically aimed at young people since this summer.
It states that parents should give their children a smartphone in eighth grade at the earliest and that children are best off not being on chat apps before the age of thirteen. There is a 15-year guideline for social media like Instagram and TikTok. Even this guideline remains only “urgent advice.”
