Health official warns of digital addiction risks for children

Dr. Mohammadreza Shalbafan, Director General of the Office of Mental, Social, and Addiction Health at the Ministry of Health, has warned about the risks of excessive social media use among children and adolescents. He noted that because children lack the cognitive maturity to protect themselves from potential online harms or age-inappropriate content, direct parental supervision is essential.

Shalbafan emphasized that non-educational daily social media use should not exceed two to three hours. Exceeding this limit is considered a concerning factor that can lead to social media addiction, which may impact daily life and requires non-pharmacological treatment. He also noted that many developed nations have implemented strict restrictions or bans on account creation for minors to mitigate these risks.