Social networks can harm the mental health of teenagers, especially girls – US Surgeon General
In the US, it is believed that social networks can cause serious damage to the mental health of young people, especially teenage girls. US Surgeon General Vivek Murthy published a corresponding report on May 23, Reuters reports. He urged technology companies to provide safeguards for children at critical stages of brain development. Vivek Murthy added that while social media has some benefits, there are many indicators that it can “harm the well-being of children”. “We are in the midst of a national crisis in youth mental health, and I am concerned that social media is a significant factor in this crisis that we must urgently address,” the doctor said. Also read: 12-year-old boy fell into a coma after a TikTok challenge. How this story reached the courts Photo: Daxiao_Productions Social media use can cause and perpetuate body image issues, affect eating behavior and sleep quality, and lead to social comparisons and low self-esteem, especially among teenage girls, says Vivek Murthy. Teenagers who spend more than 3 hours a day on social networks face a double risk of worsening mental health – for example, symptoms of depression and anxiety. Most teenagers say social media helps them feel more accepted, feel supported in difficult times, be closer to their friends and be more creative, a survey shows. 95% of young people aged 13-17 report that they use social networks, and more than a third do it “almost constantly”. Although 13 years is the minimum age for using social networks in the US, almost 40% of children aged 8-12 “sit” there. Vivek Murthy stresses that policymakers need to strengthen safety standards, as inappropriate and harmful content is still easily accessible to children. It calls on technology companies to enforce age restrictions to control access to social media platforms and to be transparent about data on the impact of their products on children. Algorithms and platform design should aim to maximize the potential benefits of social networks, not to force users to spend more time on them, the document says. “The first principle of health care is to do no harm. This is the same standard that we must adhere to in social networks,” also notes the CEO of the American Psychiatric Association, Saul Levin. Read also: In the USA, a 16-year-old boy received burns on 75% of his body due to a challenge in TikTok
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