America’s top doctor says social media presents ‘profound risk of harm’ for kids

The top US doctor has said social media poses a “profound risk of harm” to children and has called for “immediate action to protect children now.”

US Surgeon General Dr Vivek Murthy said in an urgent health advisory published Tuesday that the country is experiencing a “national youth psychiatric crisis” and pointed to social media as one of the main culprits.

There has been evidence for years that social media is harmful to young people, due to highly sophisticated algorithms that can promote self-harm and other dangerous content to young users.

Montana became the first state to ban TikTok, effective January 1, 2024, and lawmakers are pushing for a nationwide ban.

Meanwhile, Facebook owner Meta has imposed a “flawed and unjustified” fine after it was ordered to pay a record $1.3 billion and stop transferring European data to America.

Up to 95 percent of teens ages 13 to 17 reported using a social media platform, and more than a third said they used it “almost constantly,” according to a Pew Research Center survey.

And while 13 is the minimum age for many social media platforms in America, many young people are finding their way onto the apps, with nearly 40 percent of kids ages 8-12 using social media.

Dr. Murthy previously said that 13 is way too young for kids to be on sites like TikTok and Instagram.

The advisory said: ‘We must recognize the growing body of research into potential harms, increase our collective understanding of the risks of using social media and take urgent action to create safe and healthy digital environments.’

It is a known fact that the overconsumption of social media is unhealthy, especially for the developing brain.

The advice lists the potential risks of social media on five pages, taking up only half a page to describe the potential benefits.

Studies have found links between social media use and depression and anxiety, plus poor sleep, online harassment and low self-esteem, especially for girls.

A study of 6,595 children aged 12-15 found that adolescents who spent more than three hours a day on social media were twice as likely to have poor mental health outcomes, such as symptoms of depression and anxiety.

There are also risks associated with the type of content viewed online.

A review of more than two dozen studies found that some social media platforms show “live images of self-harming acts, such as partial suffocation, leading to seizures and cutting, leading to significant bleeding.”

This could “normalize such behavior,” the advisory warned.

Social media can also create extreme negativity around body image. Some 20 studies found that online comparison was an important factor in eating disorders.

Overuse of social media can get in the way of important healthy activities, such as sleep, the advisory added.

Apps are designed to keep users hooked through features like autoplay, infinite scrolling, and push notifications, plus algorithms specifically tailored to each user.

Some experts believe that the stimulation of social media can “create pathways similar to addiction.”

It suggested that social media’s potential benefits include the sense of community and belonging it provides, especially for LGBTQ youth.

Dr. Murthy is optimistic the report will lead to more funding and research into the impact of social media, plus policy changes and more transparency from tech companies.

Meanwhile, the number of teenage girls who say they constantly feel sad or hopeless has increased from 36 to 57 percent in a decade from 2011 to 2021.

The percentage saying they are seriously considering attempting suicide has also risen to 30 percent, compared to 19 percent a decade earlier.

Experts have suggested that social media may be a major cause, as it encourages people to compare themselves to others, addiction and ‘FOMO’ or fear of missing out.

Meanwhile, TikTok took Montana to court Monday over its statewide ban on the app, claiming it violates its First Amendment rights.

The lawsuit, filed in Montana federal court, came less than a week after the state became the first in the US to completely ban the app. President Joe Biden banned its use on federal government devices last year.

In the lawsuit, the company, owned by ByteDance, which has taken the US by storm in recent years, alleges that the ban violates not only the company’s First Amendment rights, but those of its users as well.

Governor Greg Gianforte’s ban goes into effect January 1.

TikTok said the ban violates the US Constitution — specifically a clause limiting states’ authority to enact legislation that negatively impacts interstate and foreign commerce.

The app claimed it violates federal law because it infringes on things over which the government has power.