Swedish health agency calls for strict limits on children’s smartphone access

Sweden’s Public Health Agency has called for sharp restrictions on children’s screen time and smartphone use, as social minister Jakob Forssmed warned that mobile phones have become a direct gateway for criminal gangs to reach young people.

The agency presented an interim report on Thursday as part of a government assignment to determine the earliest appropriate age for children to own a smartphone. Forssmed, speaking at a press conference, accused tech giants of securing an “iron grip” on children’s time.

He cited constant exposure to violence, pornography, and other extreme content as major risks to young people’s health and development, disrupting sleep and social bonds.

Beyond harmful content, Forssmed highlighted the role of smartphones in facilitating recruitment by criminal networks, which now largely operate digitally. “Without smartphones, children would not be within the gangs’ reach in the same way,” he said.

The report is part of broader work to develop stricter national guidelines on screen time for children and adolescents.