We also tested Apple’s Screen Time feature in a weekslong experiment when the tool was introduced. The feature lets parents create time limits for specific apps or categories of apps, like social networking or games, on their children’s iPhones. When the child runs out of time with an app, it locks the child out. The parent can then have a conversation with the child and decide whether to allow additional time on an app.

The downside is that parents who are also using the tools to monitor their own phone use can easily bypass the restrictions using their passcode — and they may realize they are even more addicted to their screens than their children.

Are there other options?

Yes.

There are also third-party Android and iOS apps that allow parents to manage screen time, though they should be used with caution. Some apps from unknown brands that are marketed as parental control apps have been used by stalkers to track the users’ locations and even eavesdrop on them through their microphones — a type of malicious software that security researchers call “stalkerware.”

Parents have plenty of resources to find reputable tools that can also work on personal computers, as well as on phones and tablets. Common Sense Media, a nonprofit that reviews products for families, found that Qustodio and NetNanny gave parents deep control of their children’s devices.

Do social media companies offer features to limit use of their apps?

Social media companies also offer some features to remind people to stop scrolling. Instagram, for example, has a “Take a Break” reminder that can be turned on, and TikTok this year introduced its own tool for limiting time spent inside its app.