Surgeon General Warns of 'Profound Risk' Social Media Poses to Children
Summary from the AllSides News Team
United States Surgeon General Vivek Murthy released an advisory Tuesday warning of the potential danger children face from social media use.
Key Quotes: The advisory aims to call attention to “growing concerns about the effects of social media on youth mental health.” The report calls for additional research into the effects of social media use on adolescent development, stating existing evidence indicates that “while social media may have benefits for some children and adolescents, there are ample indicators that social media can also have a profound risk of harm to the mental health and well-being of children and adolescents.”
Details: According to the report, 95% of the 13-17 age bracket use a social media platform. The report cited a study that found an increase in depression and anxiety among college-age youth that coincided with the rollout of an unnamed social media platform, concluding that the “introduction of the social media platform may have contributed to more than 300,000 new cases of depression.” The report does state benefits of social media, highlighting the connectivity and community digital platforms provide, specifically naming “youth who are often marginalized, including racial, ethnic, and sexual and gender minorities” as being positively impacted by social media. The surgeon general has previously advocated for additional awareness and action regarding mental health. Earlier this month, he declared a public health epidemic over loneliness.
How The Media Covered It: Outlets across the spectrum covered the advisory consistently, often highlighting legislative efforts to regulate social media companies.
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Surgeon General warns social media companies to ‘take immediate action’ to protect kids from negative mental health impacts
While social media use by teens is near ubiquitous, the U.S. Surgeon General is warning that the mental health impacts are still not fully known—and has called on tech companies to “take immediate action to mitigate unintended negative effects.”
Dr. Vivek Murthy noted that while children under 13 are technically banned from signing up for services like TikTok, Snapchat, and more, children have been able to easily join and bypass limitations. Up to 95% of kids between the ages of 13 and 17 report using a social media platform, with...
From the Left
Surgeon general issues advisory about social media risks for kids
U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy issuing a warning today that social media poses a threat to kids' mental health, escalating calls for new safeguards aimed at minors.
Why it matters: The advisory adds to scrutiny over the effects of excessive use and harmful content, which has been blamed for consequences ranging from disrupting kids' sleep to promoting suicidal thoughts.
Murthy told Axios he's calling on policymakers, platforms and parents to create safe limits. He's previously said he believes age 13 is "too early" for kids to join social media.
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Social media can create 'profound risk' for teenagers, surgeon general says
The United States surgeon general said that social media can pose substantial and meaningful risks to the mental health of teenagers, a statement that will give extra motivation to members of Congress calling for new rules for Big Tech.
Surgeon General Vivek Murthy released an advisory on Tuesday that reviewed the risks of social media use on teenage brains and bodies. Murthy said that while the effects on teen mental health are not entirely understood, there are indicators that social media can harm the mental health of teenagers and children....
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