Families and workplaces are being urged to switch off all smart devices from 7pm today and take a 24-hour break from the online world.
It is part of CyberBreak 2026, an initiative supported by the HSE.
The annual event, which over 25,000 people have already signed up for, is designed to provide an opportunity to reset digital routines and create healthier online habits.
Figures from online safety charity CyberSafeKids have revealed that many primary and secondary school children have no time restrictions on their online activity.
CyberSafeKids said that 18% of eight to 12-year-olds and 20% of 12 to 15-year-olds find it hard to switch off from products designed to keep them online.
The survey of more than 1,200 young people was carried out after the return to school.
CyberSafeKids said the figures were concerning as children were using platforms that are “fundamentally unsafe” by design and facilitate “multiple risks of content and contact harm”.
The most popular times of day to be online are: before going into school, with 17% of eight to 12-year-olds and 41% of 12 to 15-year-olds; straight after school, with 32% of eight to 12-year-olds and 45% of 12 to 15-year-olds; and in the evening, with 69% of eight to 12-year-olds and 82% of 12 to 15-year-olds.
The report said that some young people spend their days “bookended” by being online, falling asleep with devices and going online immediately after waking.
More than half of eight to 12-year-olds and 69% of 12 to 15-year-olds keep devices in bedrooms overnight.
“Children need clear boundaries around device use at home, and the fact that many have no restrictions at all is alarming given the harmful content and contact inherent in digital environments,” said Alex Cooney, CEO of CyberSafeKids.
“That’s why initiatives like CyberBreak matter. Disconnecting for just 24 hours helps us reflect on how and when we use our devices, and start building healthier habits together by modelling, as parents, teachers and caregivers, the behaviours we want to see in children,” Ms Cooney said.
Brian Higgins, HSE Assistant National Director, Adult Mental Health, said the distraction and harm caused to our mental health by constant social media use is undoubted.
“Taking a CyberBreak gives us an opportunity to take a step back and address how we can find a healthy balance between our online and offline lives,” Mr Higgins said.
