Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is scheduled to deliver remarks Tuesday morning outlining the administration's latest initiatives to combat what officials describe as the harmful effects of excessive screen time on children. The press conference, set to begin at 10 a.m. EDT, will focus on measures aimed at schools, families, and technology companies to foster healthier digital habits among young people.
The administration has increasingly spotlighted the mental and physical health toll of prolonged device use, with Kennedy previously warning that children now spend more time on screens than they do sleeping, exercising, or interacting face-to-face with family and friends. In earlier comments, he tied this trend to rising rates of anxiety, depression, obesity, and developmental delays, and pledged to "Make Our Children Healthy Again."
Kennedy's push arrives as Capitol Hill lawmakers are weighing new regulations designed to strengthen online protections for minors. The House has already passed the Kids Online Safety Act, which would empower parents with more control over the content their children encounter online. That legislation, if enacted, would impose new obligations on social media platforms and other digital services to mitigate risks to younger users.
The HHS effort is part of a broader administration agenda to address child health and safety, which has also included controversial moves in other areas. For instance, the administration has pursued deregulatory measures in food and agriculture, such as a recent push to allow farmers to process their own meat, a policy aimed at breaking up large packer monopolies. Those initiatives have drawn both praise from advocates of local control and criticism from industry groups concerned about food safety standards.
Kennedy's focus on screen time also intersects with ongoing legal and political battles. Senate Democrats have recently pressed Kennedy over his financial stake in a lawsuit related to the Gardasil vaccine, raising questions about potential conflicts of interest in his public health decisions. Meanwhile, the administration has faced scrutiny over other health-related matters, including a watchdog finding that FEMA crews violated the Hatch Act by skipping homes with Trump signs during disaster recovery.
The upcoming remarks are expected to include specific recommendations for schools, such as integrating digital wellness into curricula, and for tech companies, such as designing platforms with age-appropriate defaults and parental controls. Officials have also signaled that federal agencies may issue new guidance or funding opportunities to support states and localities in implementing these measures.
Advocacy groups have largely welcomed the administration's attention to screen time, though some experts caution that policy responses must balance protection with the benefits of technology in education and social connection. The debate is likely to intensify as the legislative process moves forward, with the Senate yet to take up the House-passed bill.
Tuesday's event will be streamed live, and Kennedy is expected to take questions from reporters. The full scope of the administration's plan, including any regulatory or budgetary commitments, will be detailed during the press conference.
