What determines the benefits of screen time

Often, when people talk about screen time, they’re referring to aimlessly scrolling through social media feeds late at night, but technically, it also includes working on a laptop, watching movies, and communicating with loved ones via video calls. However, it’s important to recognize that screen time is not a uniform concept. Instead of focusing solely on the number of hours spent using a device, it’s crucial to consider the impact of each individual session. Ask yourself (or your child) a few questions: Was the activity enjoyable? Did you encounter any rude or anxious behavior? How did you feel afterward?

The work highlights five key contexts that help to objectively assess the impact of screen time: duration, time of day, purpose of use, level of interactivity, and content structure.

Duration alone does not tell the whole story. You can spend just a minute in front of the screen, and it can be the best minute of the month if, for example, you manage to arrange an important meeting or solve a long-standing problem. Conversely, even a short episode can be deeply upsetting if you come across traumatic content. You should only compare your results with your own previous results, not with someone else’s. If you usually spend five hours a week on your phone, but last week you spent nine hours, it makes sense to figure out what changed.

The time of day also plays a role. If using your phone interferes with your sleep, rest, or important tasks, it may be a sign of a problem. The purpose is equally important. For example, searching for vacation ideas can be a meaningful and productive activity, but trying to distract yourself from unpleasant thoughts by scrolling endlessly is not. It is appropriate to think about the opportunity costs here. While a person is passively flipping through the feed, he does not spend time with his family, does not exercise, does not cook healthy food and does not relax.

The level of interactivity helps to understand the nature of interaction with the digital space. Active participation (playing with friends, creating and publishing your own content) is usually associated with greater engagement, creativity, and a sense of connection with other people. This is fundamentally different from “dumsquoring,” which is a compulsive, passive consumption of news and posts that is often fueled by anxiety or serves as a way to avoid difficult tasks and emotions. Dumsquoring is often correlated with poor mental well-being.

The structure of the content is another important factor. Researchers draw a distinction between long formats (such as a movie) and fragmented content like short social media videos. Fragmented materials force the brain to constantly load new information into working memory and immediately discard it: a person switches from a musical fragment to a scene from a movie, then to a video with animals in seconds, without getting a holistic picture. The endless feed is specifically designed to keep attention: each new post or video activates the reward system, which makes a person continue watching for much longer than planned. Such techniques belong to the so-called “dark UX” — manipulative solutions in the design of digital services that push the user to actions that benefit the platform, rather than himself.

What can people themselves do to reduce the risks? First of all, do not panic. Screen time itself is not an absolute evil. Both adults and children can change their habits towards healthier use of gadgets. For parents, there are different tools of parental control — the choice depends on the specific situation. The key is to be aware of how your child uses screens and to discuss with them how it affects their mood and daily decisions.

Roque himself developed a free platform, KidOS, for his daughter, which creates a safe digital environment. He emphasizes that the value is not in a specific app, but in the fact that such tools really help to shape a positive and healthy experience of interaction with screens. It is important to ask the right questions and rely on them when choosing services and device settings.

At the same time, the researchers remind us that everyone’s susceptibility to the negative effects of the digital space is different. For some people, online communication becomes an important way to maintain social connections, while for others, it can be a source of loneliness and anxiety. It all depends on how the screens are used and the goals and emotions behind each specific episode.