There is “reason to be concerned” about the potential harm social media inflicts on children and adolescents, the U.S. surgeon general said Tuesday in an advisory that calls for deeper research into the consequences of near-universal use of the platforms among young people.
Surgeon General Vivek Murthy’s 25-page advisory said there are some benefits to social media for teens and adolescents, including self-expression and a sense of connection among LGBT persons or those with disabilities.
“However, increasingly, evidence is indicating there is reason to be concerned about the risk of harm social media use poses to children and adolescents,” the advisory said. “Children and adolescents on social media are commonly exposed to extreme, inappropriate, and harmful content, and those who spend more than three hours a day on social media face double the risk of poor mental health including experiencing symptoms of depression and anxiety.”
Many users are exposed to “hate-based content” online or content related to suicide or self-harm, and adolescent girls are particularly susceptible to feeling dissatisfied with their bodies because of the content they see on social media.
According to surveys, 46% of users ages 13-17 said social media makes them feel worse about their body image, 40% said it makes them feel neither better nor worse and only 14% said it makes them feel better.
Dr. Murthy said the stakes are high because 95% of teenagers and 40% of kids ages 8-12 are on social media.
“Despite this widespread use among children and adolescents, we do not yet have enough evidence to determine if social media use is sufficiently safe for them — especially during adolescence, a particularly vulnerable period of brain development,” the advisory said.
The advisory called on tech companies to design platforms that adhere to age limits and protect children’s privacy. It also said the companies should share any data on the societal impacts of their platforms with independent researchers.
Parents should establish tech-free zones and times to foster better relationships and sleep at home, the advisory said, and young users should take steps on their own to block unsafe content or help friends who seem to be in distress about social-media content.
What’s more, it recommended that policymakers consider measures “to strengthen safety standards and limit access in ways that make social media safer for children of all ages, better protect children’s privacy, support digital and media literacy and fund additional research.”
Some states have taken steps to limit social media use by children. Montana recently approved a statewide ban on TikTok due to concerns about its Chinese parent company.
TikTok is suing over the ban, saying it violates the First Amendment and that claims the Chinese government can access user data are “unfounded.”
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