A town in Japan is to urge all residents to restrict their smartphone use to two hours a day in an attempt to tackle online addiction and sleep deprivation. The proposal, the first of its kind to apply to all residents, triggered a backlash on social media. Some users condemned it as an attack on individual freedom, while other said the time limit was simply unworkable. Toyoake’s initiative reflects growing concern about the negative health impact, especially on children, of hours spent hunched over smartphones and tablets. Young Japanese spend an average of just over five hours a day online on weekdays, according to a survey released this year by the Children and Families Agency.