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Please Help Us Reform Children's Media
We believe children and parents are happier, healthier, and more deeply connected when they spend time engaging with each other and the world around them - not with screens.
But we can't ignore the data: screen use in the early years is growing at an exponential rate. By six months, many infants are already averaging an hour of screen time daily, long before their developing brains can process the input.
"It's not just a matter of minutes; there's so much more to this equation."
Much of today's content and streaming platforms are designed to capture and hold attention, creating a cycle of dependency that is increasingly difficult to break.
CMRRL's Mission Centers on Two Pillars
Education and Advocacy: We educate parents and caregivers on the deceptive marketing and harmful production techniques used in early childhood media. By bridging the gap between research and industry, we empower parents and policymakers to make informed, research-backed choices.
Research and Solutions: We don’t just identify the problem; we build the solution. We develop evidence-informed guidelines and media frameworks that prioritize co-viewing, responsive interaction, and human connection.
INAUGURAL OBJECTIVE
CMRRL has identified a critical gap in relevant research, guidelines, funding and solutions pertaining to screen media for children under the age of 2.
Nearly all global organizations have adopted guidelines that suggest that any screen time consumed by children under the age of 2 may have long-lasting detrimental effects, even though nearly all studies and surveys confirm that the majority of children under the age of 2 are engaging in screen time on a daily basis, starting at an average age of 4-months-old.
These policies have discouraged support and funding for more relevant research and solutions. This has created a void that has been filled with developmentally inappropriate and unregulated content options for young childrenwhose caregivers allow the use of screen time for varying reasons.
3rd PARTY RESEARCH
3rd PARTY GUIDELINES
SOLUTIONS
Early Years Media
CMRRL is launching an ad-free nonprofit public media channel for children ages 3 and under. Each program must meet rigorous guidelines developed by Children's Media Research and Reform Lab, ensuring they meet the highest standards in early childhood education and developmental science.
Screen Time Quality Index (STQI)
The Screen Time Quality Index evaluates the "ingredients" used in and around children's media. It evaluates sensory load, cognitive load, developmental alignment, relational affordances (co-viewing support), emotional safety, and ethical design characteristics (autoplay, ad exposure). The STQI provides a framework for researchers, clinicians, and producers to assess the developmental quality of children's media.
Screen Time Ingredients
Screen Time Ingredients is a structured coding framework that identifies and classifies the specific production and sensory elements embedded within children’s media. The taxonomy covers pacing, scene duration, camera movement, audio layering, visual intensity, conceptual complexity, social–emotional cues, POI, and dozens of other elements and techniques. It enables systematic content analysis for both academic research and industry self-assessment.
Screen Time Nutrition Label
The Screen Time Nutrition Label is a standardized disclosure format that translates the underlying STQI and Screen Time Ingredients data into an accessible, public-facing summary. The label is designed to support informed decision-making by parents, caregivers, clinicians, and institutional partners.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT
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