Children from low-income families who took part in a survey used electronic devices for an average of 6.19 hours a day, the Society for Community Organization (SoCO) reported. The average included 2.61 hours of recreational use.
SoCO collected 254 questionnaires between February and July 2026, and also held focus-group discussions and qualitative case research with 10 primary- and secondary-school pupils. More than half of respondents spent two hours or more a day using devices for entertainment, while 32% spent at least three hours. The Department of Health advises children aged 6 to 12 to spend less than two hours a day using electronic products for entertainment.
Devices were used for schoolwork as well as leisure: 73.2% of respondents said they used them for online homework, 71.7% for watching videos and 57.9% for electronic games. The survey found that 57.1% cited each of two reasons for device use: its very low cost and free entertainment. SoCO said a lack of varied, affordable offline activities during after-school hours and holidays helped make screens a convenient pastime. It also said parents’ long working hours and financial pressures could make it harder to monitor use.
About two-thirds of respondents said they had argued with parents over device use. The survey also recorded reports of eyesight problems from 53.1% of respondents, insufficient sleep from 40.2% and difficulty concentrating from 30.3%.
SoCO proposed setting 11 as the minimum age for social-media use and applying time limits according to age. Its other proposals included stronger regulation of social media, online content and games, school-wide guidance on smartphone use, and more subsidised extracurricular and parent-child activities.
The association’s deputy director suggested that schools keep pupils on site for longer, with supervised care and homework help, and open facilities such as libraries and sports areas for activities.