We’re used to seeing surgeon general warnings on harmful items like cigarettes, but could one soon appear on social media platforms?
According to U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy, it’s time they do.
Murthy just released the Surgeon General’s Advisory on Social Media and Youth Mental Health and says social media companies aren’t doing enough to keep its young users safe.
With a reported 95% of kids 13-17 on social media, the Department of Health and Human Services announced Murthy is issuing a “call for urgent action by policymakers, technology companies, researchers, families, and young people alike to [discover the] full impact of social media use … minimize the harms of social media platforms, and create safer, healthier online environments to protect children.”
The key age demographic of “near universal” social media use coincides with “a critical stage in brain development that can make young people more vulnerable to harms from social media,” the agency explains.
Murthy says in his report, “The most common question parents ask me is, ‘is social media safe for my kids.’ The answer is that we don’t have enough evidence to say it’s safe, and in fact, there is growing evidence that social media use is associated with harm to young people’s mental health.”
He continues, “Children are exposed to harmful content on social media, ranging from violent and sexual content, to bullying and harassment. And … social media use is compromising their sleep and valuable in-person time with family and friends.”
Murthy continues, “We are in the middle of a national youth mental health crisis, and I am concerned that social media is an important driver of that crisis – one that we must urgently address.”
He also says platforms like TikTok haven’t done enough to ensure kids aren’t exposed to harmful content.