The Biden administration’s top public health official says Monday he will push for social media warnings informing parents of the dangers of these platforms for teens’ mental health. . These warnings would be similar to those found on cigarette packets or alcohol bottles. Only Congress can impose them on businesses through legislation.
In a column published by the New York Times (free link), Dr. Vivek Murthy says such warnings would send a powerful message to parents “that social media has not been proven to be safe.” According to him, the effects of social media on children and adolescents represent a risk to public health, in the same way as road accidents or contaminated food.
To support his thesis, the Surgeon General of the United States cites research which showed that adolescents who spent more than three hours a day on social media were at significantly higher risk of mental health problems, and that 46% teens said social media made them feel more self-conscious about their bodies.
According to a Gallup poll conducted last year, the average American teenager spends 4.8 hours per day on social networks such as YouTube, TikTok and Instagram.
“How come we have failed to respond to the harms of social media when they are no less urgent or widespread than those caused by unsafe cars, planes or foods? » writes Dr Murthy in his column. “This damage is not the result of a lack of will or education; they are the consequence of implementing powerful technology without adequate security, transparency or accountability measures. »
Not all experts agree on the cause and effect link between social media and adolescent mental health. While the rise of these platforms has coincided with a decline in young people’s well-being, there is no evidence that one caused the other, they argue. They say other factors may weigh, including economic hardship, social isolation, racism, school shootings and the opioid crisis.
Congress has yet to introduce any bills to force social media outlets to post warnings on their platforms.
(AP Photo)
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