Rogers has announced Screen Break, a new, national program to help Canadian families address excessive screen use in youth.

“Connectivity brings us together and it connects us to the world around us, but excessive screen time is a real concern for our customers,” said Tony Staffieri, President and CEO, Rogers. “Our customers want help managing screen time and Screen Break is our commitment to help young people build a healthier, balanced relationship with their screens.”

A new Rogers study found that youth aged 11-17 spend 5.2 hours per day on their phones, far exceeding the two-hour recreational screen time limit set by the Canadian Paediatric Society (CPS). The CPS has identified health concerns with excessive screen use:

• Mental health: higher screen time can increase anxiety, depression, and social isolation
• Physical health: excessive screen time can contribute to obesity and lower physical fitness
• Cognitive: higher screen time can hinder academic performance and development

While nine in 10 parents surveyed think youth spend too much time on their phones, only one in three youth think their screen time is a problem. Most parents and youth agree that companies like Rogers should help families manage screen time.

“We want to help tweens and teens continue to enjoy the amazing benefits of being connected while recognizing there are times to take a screen break,” said Staffieri. “Healthy digital habits and active living are integral to their physical and mental well-being. Through Screen Break, we plan to make a meaningful difference on this important issue.”

Rogers is investing $50 million over five years into four program pillars:

• Parental Tools:

• • The MyRogers app helps parents manage mobile data usage for family members
  • Rogers Xfinity app helps parents set time limits, create downtime schedules, and monitor their kids’ time on popular apps
  • A new website provides resources and tips to help parents use apps, make decisions about technology for their kids, and talk to their kids about screen time use
• Youth Programming:
  • A national in-school program will feature professional athletes engaging teens in real-life conversations around healthy screen use
  • Unplug and Play events will feature athletes hosting active living clinics throughout the year. The first event will happen in March
  • Rogers will issue grants to up to four youth organizations to encourage active living. YMCA is the first national partner
• Research & Partnerships
  • Rogers will commission an annual study to look at screen time use among youth
  • Rogers is partnering with the Dais at Toronto Metropolitan University, a public policy and leadership think tank, to engage tweens and teens in building healthy digital habits in schools
• Education & Advocacy:
  • Rogers will work with its athletes and on-air talent to inspire teens to rethink their relationship with their screens through social media and advertising
  • To launch the program, Rogers is partnering with George Springer, Connor McDavid, John Tavares, Marie-Philip Poulin and Sarah Nurse to share their thoughts on screen time

“Just like we teach kids to play sports or ride a bike, we need to teach them when to put their phone down and get moving,” said George Springer, Toronto Blue Jays player. “I’d like teens to challenge themselves – start by putting away your phone for an hour and see how you feel without it. Balancing screen time takes practice.”