FTC urges families to set summer screen-time rules for kids

By Atlas Watchline Staff · Consumer Safety · July 26, 2026

The FTC is urging families to talk through screen-time rules and consider parental controls as children spend more time online over the summer.

The Federal Trade Commission is urging families to make a summer screen-time plan for children and teens. In a June 22 Consumer Alerts post, the agency advises parents to talk through family rules and expectations before turning to parental controls.

The agency says summer can bring more downtime, which can lead to more time online. In the alert, the FTC says parental controls can help limit what content kids can access, how much time they spend online and who they can chat with.

The post, attributed to BCP Staff, is part of the FTC’s consumer education work rather than an enforcement action. It does not name specific apps, tools or cases. It also does not provide statistics or document new findings about children’s screen use.

The FTC directs readers to a video in the alert and to ftc.gov/kidsonline for more information about helping protect kids online.

Sources

• FTC Consumer Alerts: Making a family plan for summer screen time
• FTC consumer alert payload

Editorial note: This article was prepared with AI assistance and includes source attribution for reader review.

This is the AMP version of the article. Read the full article on Atlas Watchline.