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There is not enough evidence to determine whether social media is safe enough for the mental health of children and adolescents, according to new recommendations from the US Surgeon General.
Tuesday’s advisory notes that while social media use has some benefits, there is a “significant risk of harm” to children. It calls for more research on the impact of social media on young people’s mental health, as well as action from policymakers and technology companies.
The 25-page advisory comes as a growing number of states seek to tighten regulations on social media platforms, including Montana’s efforts to ban TikTok.
General public health advisories aim to draw attention to urgent public health issues and provide recommendations on how they should be addressed, according to a new report. Previous recommendations focused on broader youth mental health, health misinformation, and the use of the opioid overdose antidote naloxone.
“We are in the midst of a youth mental health crisis and we are concerned that social media is contributing to the harm children are experiencing,” said Vivek Murthy, Surgeon General. he told CNN.
“Social Media Management For too long, we have been unable to manage social media, even though social media platforms are designed by some of the world’s most talented engineers and designers to make the most of our time.” “We have shifted the entire burden of management onto the shoulders of parents and children, and our children are spending on them,” he said. “So it’s not a fair fight. It’s time we get parents and kids behind us.”
The recommendations include a review of the available evidence on the effects of social media on adolescent mental health, noting that social media use among children is “nearly universal.” Up to 95% of children between the ages of 13 and 17 report using social media, and even more children report using social media. 1 in 3 respondents said they use it “almost always”. Additionally, although the minimum age for using social media sites in the United States is generally 13 (which Murthy previously said is too young), the advisory states that nearly 40% of children ages 8 to 12 do the same. The company points out that it uses the platform).
“Recognizing the growing body of research on the potential harms, we are taking urgent action to deepen our collective understanding of the risks associated with social media use and create a safe and healthy digital environment. must occur,” the recommendation states.
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The report lists several ways social media can harm young people’s mental health and notes that adolescence is a particularly vulnerable time for brain development. This study details research that found a correlation between social media use and depression, anxiety, poor sleep, online harassment, and low self-esteem, especially among girls.
One study of 6,595 U.S. adolescents between the ages of 12 and 15 found that those who used social media for more than three hours a day had a 2-fold higher risk of symptoms of depression and anxiety than non-users. The report said it was found to be twice as many. It also cites research that found reducing social media use can improve mental health.
The use of social media carries the risk of being exposed to dangerous content, including depictions of self-harm, and “has the potential to normalize such behavior,” the advisory said. It also cites 20 studies that found significant relationships between social media use, body image concerns, and eating disorders.
Marcy told CNN that the three things she often hears from kids about social media are: Second, it makes things worse about their friendship. But thirdly, they can’t get out of it. ”
The advisory warns that excessive use of social media can interfere with important healthy behaviors, including sleep, and platforms often provide push notifications, autoplay, infinite scrolling features, and It points out that it’s designed to keep users engaged with algorithms that use data to adjust content recommendations. The paper cites the belief of some researchers that social media exposure, which involves excessive stimulation of the brain’s reward centers, “may trigger pathways comparable to addiction.”
The five-page summary of recommendations regarding the potential risks of social media use for young people’s mental health is a five-page summary. The potential benefits are explained in just half a page. The report notes that social media provides a positive community and connection to others, which is especially important for children who are often excluded from society. The report shows that lesbian, gay, bisexual, asexual, transgender, queer, intersex, and other young people can benefit from mental health benefits from using social media to connect with peers. It cites research and “identity-affirming content” related to race that has been positive for adolescent girls of color. . Finally, it says social media can help by connecting some children to mental health care.
The recommendations include recommendations for families grappling with social media use, including creating a family media plan, encouraging children to develop in-person friendships, and modeling appropriate behavior on social media. Contains matters.
Marcy said this was something he and his wife talked about for the sake of their children, who are now 5 and 6 years old.
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Their plan is to delay social media use until at least middle school or later. Strive to partner with other like-minded families, “because there is strength in numbers.” Then, when children reach high school, better safety standards will be put in place and a reassessment will be needed to “actually see if they’re being enforced,” he said.
“None of this is easy for parents,” he admitted. “That is why we are pressing ahead with this recommendation for urgent action.”
Adam Kovacevic, founder and CEO of the technology coalition Chamber of Progress, said online platforms have listened to concerns from parents and researchers and are taking measures to protect young users, such as limiting notifications at night. He stated that he has implemented a function to do so.
“While we believe efforts to protect children are well-intentioned, requiring age verification and cutting off access to supportive online communities threatens the privacy of teens,” Kovacevic said in a statement. should not be sacrificed.”
Murthy said he hopes the report will spur action at a number of levels, including increased research and funding, and policy changes, particularly greater transparency and action from technology companies.
“Independent researchers consistently tell us that they have difficulty getting full access to the information they need from technology companies about the health effects on children,” he says.
Murthy said social media companies should adhere to the same standards as other industries to protect children.
“We also take a safety-first approach to other products used by children, from medicines to car seats to toys,” Murthy said. “We have to do that here, too.”