The Office of the US Surgeon General, under the leadership of US Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, has released an official advisory stating that social media can have both positive and negative impacts on the emotional well-being of youth. US.
About 95% of kids ages 13 to 17 use social media, according to the report, and nearly 40% of kids ages 8 to 12 use social media. Generally, people must be at least 13 years old to create an account on a social networking site. But it’s easy to circumvent these age restrictions simply by entering a false birth date.
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The report states that more research is needed to quantify the harm of social media to children under the age of 13. But it also acknowledges that parents, teachers, and researchers are increasingly aware of, and concerned about, children under 13 freely accessing social media.
The extensive use of social networks is an issue that is discussed among legislators, even at the federal level. When TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew testified in front of Congress, members asked him how his company plans to address the large number of young children on the app who view explicit and harmful content.
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US lawmakers have introduced legislation that prohibits children under the age of 13 from creating an account on social networking apps. Other bills require parental consent for children ages 13 to 17 to create a social media account.
Some laws point to Big Tech and suggest that companies should run minor security risk assessments, excluding children from algorithmic recommendations and giving parents more control over their children’s fingerprints.
Keep minority groups connected
The US Surgeon General’s Office report states that social media can benefit some young people looking for an online community. These online communities can be beneficial to marginalized youth seeking guidance on racial, gender, and sexual issues.
Children from minority groups may have a hard time fitting in at school and may find comfort when they can connect with similar people online. The report states that 58% of teens find more acceptance on social media, 71% enjoy being creative online, and 80% enjoy being connected to and informed about what’s going on in their friends’ lives.
Experiencing depression and anxiety.
The importance of observing and preserving mental health has become a normalized topic of discussion in recent years, especially in online forums. But spending a lot of time on social media can also contribute to poor mental health.
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The report cites a longitudinal study that found that American children ages 12 to 15 who spend more than three hours a day on social media are more likely to experience symptoms of depression and anxiety.
These adverse outcomes are more common in girls, according to research. In particular, girls experience body image problems and disordered eating behaviors due to the use of social networks. In 2021, a Facebook whistleblower revealed that the Instagram algorithm was broadcasting harmful body image and messy eating content to girls, and the company was aware of it.
The report also cites research concluding that teens sleep less due to problematic, compulsive, or excessive use of social media. Poor sleep quality, decreased attention span, and mood disorders are linked to social media use until midnight or later in adolescents.
Keeping our children safe online
The report says that lawmakers can mitigate some of these problems by strengthening protections to ensure the safety of minors online, requiring a higher standard of data privacy for minors and vigorously enforcing age minimums.
The report also suggests that policymakers should collaborate with international partners to protect children online, ensure that tech companies share data on the impact of their platforms, and support the implementation of digital media literacy in schools.
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Tech companies should create products and tools that foster a safe environment for children online, establish advisory committees to monitor and enforce policies to keep children safe online, and ensure default settings are created to keep data safe of the kids.
Parents and caregivers should encourage technology-free zones in their homes and plan for as much face-to-face time with their children as possible. They should also model appropriate behaviors online, talk to other parents about their stance on social media, and have open conversations with their children about online safety.
