WASHINGTON — The U.S. Surgeon General's office moved Friday to translate this week's high-profile advisory on screen time risks for children and teenagers into a concrete policy framework, announcing a joint working group with the Department of Health and Human Services and the American Academy of Pediatrics to develop the first federally coordinated guidelines on youth digital media exposure.

The advisory, released Thursday, warned that excessive screen use — including social media scrolling, streaming, and gaming — is linked to disrupted sleep, attention deficits, and rising rates of adolescent anxiety and depression. Friday's follow-up convening in Washington brought together pediatric health officials, school district administrators, and representatives from major consumer technology companies including Apple, Google, and Meta to discuss implementation.

Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy, who has made children's mental health a signature issue, said the advisory was intended to prompt legislative as well as behavioural change. 'We are not asking parents to fight this battle alone,' Murthy said at a morning briefing. 'We are asking platforms, schools, and Congress to act.' The Surgeon General's office indicated it would formally recommend that Congress revisit the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act to include screen-time disclosure mandates for app developers.

The American Academy of Pediatrics, which has previously issued its own voluntary guidelines recommending no screen time for children under 18 months and limits for older age groups, said it would align its forthcoming 2026 guidance update with the federal advisory. Dr. Dipesh Navsaria, the organisation's president, said the coordination represented 'an unprecedented level of federal and clinical alignment' on the issue.

Technology industry representatives at Friday's meeting pushed back on proposals to mandate app-level time-limit tools, arguing existing parental controls are sufficient. Consumer advocacy groups countered that default settings overwhelmingly favour engagement over restriction. The working group is expected to deliver preliminary recommendations to Congress by September 2026, setting the stage for debate during the fall legislative session.