WASHINGTON — The Department of Health and Human Services announced Tuesday that starting January 1, 2027, all Americans will be required to submit their weekly screen time data directly to federal regulators or face escalating fines under the new Digital Wellness Accountability Act.
The sweeping legislation, passed last month with bipartisan support, mandates that citizens download the government’s “ScreenSafe” app, which automatically tracks and reports time spent on all devices to a centralized database. Officials say the data will be used to calculate each person’s “Digital Wellness Score,” which will determine eligibility for certain federal programs and tax benefits.
“We’ve reached a crisis point where Americans are spending dangerous amounts of time online, and voluntary measures have simply failed,” said HHS Secretary Angela Morton at a press conference. “This is about public health. We track calories, we track steps — it’s time we track screens.”
Under the new system, adults exceeding 35 hours of weekly screen time will face an initial warning, followed by a $50 monthly fine for continued violations. The penalties increase progressively, with chronic offenders potentially losing access to certain government services. Children’s screen time will be monitored through their parents’ accounts, with families required to submit quarterly “Digital Wellness Plans” for approval.
Privacy advocates have raised concerns about the government’s access to detailed browsing habits, but Secretary Morton dismissed these worries. “The data is completely anonymized,” she explained. “We’re only tracking which apps you use, for how long, and what content categories you’re viewing. Your actual personal information remains private.”
The ScreenSafe app will be mandatory on all smartphones, tablets, and computers sold in the United States. Existing devices must install the software within 90 days or risk being remotely disabled by telecommunications providers.
A companion bill currently moving through Congress would extend the tracking requirements to smart TVs, gaming consoles, and e-readers by 2028.
— SATIRE —
Key Points
- HHS will track every citizen’s device usage through mandatory “ScreenSafe” app starting January 2027
- Americans exceeding 35 hours weekly screen time face escalating fines and potential loss of government services
- Officials assure public that data tracking “which apps you use, for how long, and what content you view” is completely anonymous
Aporia News – June 15, 2026
