Last Update: May 24, 2023, 00:37 AM IST
Reports on social media include suggestions for parents, tech companies as well as children and teens on how to avoid the dangerous pitfalls. (Representational image/Reuters)
US Surgeon General Vivek Murthy said that “there are ample indicators that even social media can harm the well-being of children”.
Social media can seriously harm the mental health of young people, especially teenage girls, the US surgeon general warned in an advisory on Tuesday, as he called on tech companies to take safeguards for children who use them. important stages of brain development.
US Surgeon General Vivek Murthy said that while social media offers some benefits, there are “ample indicators that social media can also harm children’s well-being.”
“We are in the midst of a national youth mental health crisis, and I am concerned that social media is a significant driver of that crisis – one that we must address urgently,” Murthy said.
Citing responses to a survey conducted among adolescents, the advisory states that social media use can cause and worsen body image issues, affecting eating behavior and sleep quality and can lead to social comparison and low self-esteem.
According to the advisory, teenagers who spend more than three hours a day on social media have twice the risk of experiencing poor mental health outcomes, such as depression and anxiety symptoms.
Most teens say social media helps them feel more accepted, more supported during tough times, more connected to their friends and more creative, the advisory also said.
It states that policymakers should strengthen safety standards in ways that maximize those benefits for children of all ages, while noting that inappropriate and harmful content is easily and widely available to children. is accessible.
Tech companies should follow age limits to control access to social media platforms, and be transparent about data about the impact of their products on children, the advisory urges.
It states that algorithms and platform design should seek to maximize the potential benefits of social media, rather than be designed to make users spend more time on them.
“The first principle of healthcare is to do no harm — that’s the standard we need to start with on social media platforms,” said Saul Levine, CEO of the American Psychiatric Association.
The report includes suggestions for parents, tech companies, as well as children and teens on what they can do to avoid dangerous pitfalls and make their social media experience more positive. These include creating a family media plan, encouraging in-person friendships, talking to children about how they spend their time online, and encouraging them to seek help when they need it.
It included a reminder of the new 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline “if you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health crisis.”
(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed – reuters,
