[0th_Place]

There isn't just the cost of a timer, there's also the time and effort that needs to be spent policing your child's screen time. Many families don't have a parent around the house a lot of the time.

[mattcwilson]

It seems like we're all agreed that unmonitored, free-for-all access for kids onto computers or phones is risky and potentially unhealthy.

Where I am confused is - what might make that hard to govern?

I fully appreciate that the tools 20-30 years ago were not where they are today. But now?

[fjsolwmv]

It is free and easy to simply not buy your kid a screen, or take away the one you gave them.

The main "benefit" to parents of screens is that it's a cheap bad babysitter that shuts kids up.