Social Media a ‘Profound Risk’ to Kids, Warns U.S. Surgeon General

Image: Center for Countering Digital Hate

Summary:

• U.S. surgeon general Dr. Vivek H. Murthy on Tuesday issued a public advisory against the mental health risks of social media use in teens.
• Dr. Murthy noted in his report that social media is rife with cyberbullying and harmful content.
• The surgeon general is calling for policymakers, tech companies, and parents to protect kids from the potential harms of social media.

U.S. surgeon general Dr. Vivek H. Murthy on Tuesday issued a public advisory warning against the mental health risks social media poses to children and adolescents — reports The New York Times.

According to Dr. Murthy’s 19-page report, while the impact of social media use on kids’ mental health isn’t fully understood and social media can be beneficial to some users, “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.”

In his report, Dr. Murthy said that “frequent social media use may be associated with distinct changes in the developing brain in the amygdala (important for emotional learning and behavior) and the prefrontal cortex (important for impulse control, emotional regulation, and moderating social behavior), and could increase sensitivity to social rewards and punishments.”

The surgeon general’s advisory cited research indicating that up to 95% of teens use at least one social media platform, while more than one-third reported using social media “almost constantly.” There’s been heavy debate and research as of late on how social media affects teen mental health, but there haven’t been any definitive answers.

A recent study conducted by the nonprofit Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH) found TikTok to be promoting videos about self-harm and eating disorders to susceptible teens. Last year, a Wall Street Journal report went after Instagram for being “toxic” to teen girls and promoting body image issues.

Dr. Murthy noted in his report that social media is rife with cyberbullying and “extreme, inappropriate and harmful content,” including content that “normalizes” self-harming, eating disorders, and other destructive behavior.

Alongside his advisory, the surgeon general urged policymakers, tech companies, researchers, and parents to “urgently take action” to protect kids from the potential mental health risks of social media.

Earlier this year, Seattle Public Schools filed a lawsuit against Tiktok, YouTube, Facebook, Snap, Instagram, and their respective parent companies for allegedly exploiting “the vulnerable brains of youth.” In addition, a cellphone ban at the Chatelech Secondary School in Sechelt, British Columbia, resulted in improved grades and better mental health.