Surgeon general warns of social media safety risks to kids’ mental health

May 23, 2023

Karah Rucker Anchor/Reporter

By Karah Rucker (Anchor/Reporter), Stacey Chamberlain (Writer/Producer/Editor)

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According to an advisory issued by the U.S. surgeon general, developing young brains are in danger. The official is calling it the worst mental health crisis in recent memory.

Surgeon General Vivek Murthy issued a warning Tuesday, May 23, about social media and the impact it has on kids and teens. In the advisory, he said based on the review of new data, there isn’t enough evidence that social media is safe for kids to use.

The surgeon general’s new report comes in the wake of a recent research report. The report shows kids between the ages of 12 and 15 who spend more than three hours a day on social media are at more risk for mental health problems compared to those who spend less time on their screens.

A recent report by the American Psychological Association showed an increased risk of anxiety and depression among adolescents who are exposed to criticism, discrimination and bullying online.

But Murthy says social media isn’t all bad for kids. He says it can be helpful in connecting kids and providing support and information.

While the surgeon general’s report suggests social media can significantly impact a child’s mental health, children remain locked into their screens.

In a recent Straight Arrow News report, a new poll showed teenagers and young adults favored their social media platforms over their own right to vote.

The survey conducted by the Reboot Foundation revealed that 59% of young adults and 64% of teenagers indicated that if forced to choose, they would choose to maintain access to their TikTok accounts over keeping their voting rights for one year.

In a separate survey by Real Research, more than 63% of teenagers polled said they spend five or more hours on social media every day. This is why Murthy says more needs to be done to keep them safe.

The surgeon general’s advisory is calling on policy makers and tech companies to take steps to minimize the risks of social media by developing age restrictions and safety standards. The advisory is also asking for more transparency from Big Tech when it comes to the data it shares.

Murthy suggests forming a scientific advisory committee aimed at creating safe online environments for children — especially since suicide is the leading cause of death among young people in the United States.

A new study examined national youth suicide trends and characteristics in the United States before and during the COVID pandemic. The research team, supported by the National Institute of Mental Health, analyzed national suicide data from the CDC.

The study shows that 5,568 youth died by suicide during the first 10 months of the pandemic. That is higher than the expected number of deaths had the pandemic not occurred. Suicide deaths involving firearms were also higher than expected.

Tags: Children, Mental health, Social Media, Vivek Murthy

KARAH RUCKER: DEVELOPING YOUNG BRAINS ARE IN DANGER. A U.S. OFFICIAL IS CALLING IT THE WORST MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS IN RECENT MEMORY.

SURGEON GENERAL VIVEK MURTHY ISSUED A WARNING TODAY ABOUT SOCIAL MEDIA AND THE IMPACT IT HAS ON KIDS AND TEENS. IN AN ADVISORY, RELEASED THIS MORNING, HE SAID, BASED ON THE REVIEW OF NEW DATA, THERE ISN’T ENOUGH EVIDENCE THAT SOCIAL MEDIA IS SAFE FOR KIDS TO USE.

THE SURGEON GENERAL’S NEW REPORT COMES IN THE WAKE OF A RECENT RESEARCH REPORT THAT SHOWS KIDS BETWEEN THE AGES OF 12 AND 15, WHO SPENT MORE THAN THREE HOURS A DAY ON SOCIAL MEDIA, ARE AT MORE RISK FOR MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS COMPARED TO THOSE WHO SPEND LESS TIME ON THEIR SCREENS.

AND A RECENT REPORT BY THE AMERICAN PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION SHOWED AN INCREASED RISK OF ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION AMONG ADOLESCENTS WHO ARE EXPOSED TO CRITICISM, DISCRIMINATION AND BULLYING ONLINE.

BUT MURTHY SAYS SOCIAL MEDIA ISN’T ALL BAD FOR KIDS.

HE SAYS IT CAN BE HELPFUL IN CONNECTING KIDS AND PROVIDING SUPPORT AND INFORMATION.

WHILE THE SURGEON GENERAL’S REPORT SUGGESTS SOCIAL MEDIA CAN SIGNIFICANTLY IMPACT A CHILD’S MENTAL HEALTH –

CHILDREN ARE LOCKED INTO THEIR SCREENS.

IN A STORY WE REPORTED LAST WEEK, A RECENT POLL SHOWED TEENAGERS AND YOUNG ADULTS FAVORED THEIR SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS OVER THEIR OWN RIGHT TO VOTE.

THE SURVEY – BY REBOOT FOUNDATION, REVEALED THAT 59-PERCENT OF YOUNG ADULTS AND 64-PERCENT OF TEENAGERS INDICATED THAT, IF FORCED TO CHOOSE, THEY WOULD PICK TO MAINTAIN ACCESS TO THEIR TIKTOK ACCOUNTS OVER KEEPING THEIR VOTING RIGHTS FOR ONE YEAR.

IN A SEPARATE SURVEY BY REAL RESEARCH, MORE THAN 63-PERCENT OF TEENAGERS POLLED SAID THEY SPEND FIVE OR MORE HOURS ON SOCIAL MEDIA EVERY DAY. THIS IS WHY MURTHY SAYS MORE NEEDS TO BE DONE TO KEEP THEM SAFE.

THE SURGEON GENERAL’S ADVISORY IS CALLING ON POLICY MAKERS AND TECH COMPANIES TO TAKE STEPS TO MINIMIZE THE RISKS OF SOCIAL MEDIA BY DEVELOPING AGE RESTRICTIONS AND SAFETY STANDARDS.

IT IS ALSO ASKING FOR MORE TRANSPARENCY FROM BIG TECH WHEN IT COMES TO THE DATA IT SHARES. MURTHY IS SUGGESTING A SCIENTIFIC ADVISORY COMMITTEE AIMED AT CREATING SAFE ONLINE ENVIRONMENTS FOR CHILDREN. ESPECIALLY SINCE SUICIDE IS THE LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH AMONG YOUNG PEOPLE IN THE UNITED STATES.

A NEW STUDY EXAMINED NATIONAL YOUTH SUICIDE TRENDS AND CHARACTERISTICS IN THE UNITED STATES BEFORE AND DURING THE COVID PANDEMIC. THE RESEARCH TEAM, SUPPORTED BY THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF MENTAL HEALTH, ANALYZED NATIONAL SUICIDE DATA FROM THE CDC.

THE STUDY SHOWS THAT 5,568 YOUTH DIED BY SUICIDE DURING THE FIRST 10 MONTHS OF THE PANDEMIC. THAT IS HIGHER THAN THE EXPECTED NUMBER OF DEATHS – HAD THE PANDEMIC NOT OCCURRED. SUICIDE DEATHS INVOLVING FIREARMS WERE ALSO HIGHER THAN EXPECTED.