Op-Ed
Opinion: Screen time is an unspoken social issue
The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way people live and work. I have seen a 10
percent increase in patients with conditions such as insomnia, increased stress level, not
being able to focus at work and this is all due to excessive screen usage in the recent
months. This is becoming an alarming issue.
The more time spent at home – working or doing home based learning means that there is
an increase in screen time usage leading to Singaporeans becoming less social. While
technology can be a blessing as it helps improve the quality of life during COVID-19 with
new ways for people to connect for work, school and play, it can also be a bane. Such
overdependence on screen time if not moderated can lead to physical and mental health
issues.
Singapore is ranked as the world’s fifth most digitally competitive country based on the latest Institute for Management Development (IMD) World Digital Competitiveness Ranking 2021.
Based on a 2021 annual digital report by We Are Social, 93.2 percent of users in Singapore
access the internet via mobile phones and the average time spent surfing the internet using
mobile devices is 3 hours and 40 minutes for users aged 16 to 65.3 This shows that the
majority of Singaporeans are heavily dependent on technology in their daily lives.
Furthermore, with Singapore transitioning into becoming a Smart Nation and with how the
pandemic has made us consume more technology, it has become a norm to consume
excessive amounts of screen time without knowing the effects of it such as obesity, eye
strain, addiction, depression and more.
Whether we love it or hate it, the reality is that technology will be an essential part of our
daily lives even post-pandemic and the issue with screen time is here to stay. But not much
is known about this issue.
Excessive screen time usage is not an established social issue in Singapore and there are
few articles on it, most of it are referring to kids screen time. For example, recently KKH
Women’s and Children’s Hospital (KKH) launched a new set of 24-hour activity guidelines for
infants, toddlers and preschoolers on Friday, 21 Jan 2021.4 However, what about guidelines
for consumers who are constantly on their devices such as the youths? This is a pressing
social issue that should be shared and known to the public.
It is time for the government to step up and come up with policies to raise awareness
regarding the unspoken issue of screen time as it can lead to major physical and mental
issues. In the future, I hope to see Singaporeans being more aware of the importance of
moderate screen time while promoting a healthy lifestyle which will help improve their overall
wellbeing.
Lim Boon Leng (Dr)
Psychiatrist, Dr BL Lim Centre for Psychological Wellness
Spokesperson of ScreenSavers