A UK think tank has urged officials to treat smartphone use with the same caution as cigarette smoking, calling for addiction warnings on devices and a national campaign to discourage phone use at the dinner table. The proposal comes from Civitas, a centre-right policy group, in a report titled "Growing Up Online," which highlights concerns about the addictive nature of smartphones and social media, particularly among children.

Civitas recommends implementing a traffic light rating system for phones, apps, and other digital technologies to inform consumers about addiction risks. These ratings would be required to appear on packaging and advertising, similar to health warnings on cigarette packs. The think tank also advocates for empowering Ofcom, the UK communications regulator, with greater authority to oversee industry practices related to addiction and safety.

The report emphasizes the need for a public health campaign targeting parents, encouraging them to minimize smartphone use in front of children. Civitas argues that devices should be treated like cigarettes in family settings, warning against excessive screen time around kids as firmly as smoking near children has been discouraged. The report notes that ministers have tended to focus on shielding children from harmful online content, while insufficient attention has been paid to the addictive qualities of technology.

In addition to addiction concerns, Civitas draws attention to social habits such as phone use during meals, describing these behaviors as increasingly unpleasant and socially divisive. The group suggests that making such habits socially unacceptable—on par with indoor smoking bans—could help shift cultural norms. Jim McConalogue, Civitas chief executive, called for a broader societal change including "parental covenants" that would set limits on children’s smartphone use.

Responding to the report, a government spokesperson pointed to ongoing efforts to enhance online safety. They highlighted measures such as restricting access to social media platforms for users under 16 as among the strongest of their kind globally. The government’s approach focuses significantly on protecting children from online harm, though the Civitas report argues that addiction and screen time should be more prominently addressed in policy discussions.