A new study from the Surgeon General’s office concludes that social media is harmful to young people’s mental health. It’s presented as a new and urgent conclusion. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy even said in an interview, “We’ve got to move quickly” to respond to this pressing problem.
We agree, but what took him so long? He’s been in the job almost three years and this is as far as he’s gotten?
Well, duh?!
Social media has lots of negative points. That’s well established, in both an everyday sense and empirically. Countless studies have looked at its impact on the mental health of adults and young people. Even on the causal relationship between its use, depression and suicide.
This new study merely confirms that.
We’ve been discussing this for a long time, and we know you have too. Parents and teachers have been on the front lines. They know this stuff is harmful because they see it, and they’ve been fighting the good fight for years.
The Social Media and Youth Mental Health study contains valid suggestions for continuing the fight. It highlights the importance of transparency around social media use.
It also encourages parents to talk to their kids about their routines. It points to positive role-modeling habits parents can show, including limiting their screen time in front of their children.
The study also suggests teaching children about technology and its purpose. It reminds us not to share information online that could be private or embarrassing and to keep profiles locked down and away from public access. Especially those of younger people.
Is anyone going to do something?
The whole report boils down to a series of suggestions. It gives tips for parents, children and tech companies. It even dedicated a page to researchers, claiming that more work is needed to understand the problem better.
But there’s very little in the way of a concrete plan for what anyone with an ounce of power to enact change will do.
Social media companies aren’t going to make changes without being pushed. They’re corporations. Their obligation is to shareholders. Limiting users in any way will inhibit their ability to make money.
Who believes they will do that out of the goodness of their hearts?
The drive for change needs to come elsewhere. There are tips in this report about “What policymakers can do,” but they’re vague. It recommends strengthening and enforcing age minimums. It also suggests creating age-appropriate standards for tech platforms.
Those are great ideas that many people have recommended before. The question is, how do you actually do it?
Won’t someone think of the children?
It’s an overused cliché, but the focus remains on kids even in a study like this. It highlights that nearly 40% of U.S. children aged eight to 12 use social media. That’s younger than the age limit placed on services by social media companies.
Effective age gating can be complicated, but focusing on those with the right to use the services feels narrow-minded. Especially considering the harm to developing brains that the study highlights.
Younger brains are just as, if not more, susceptible.
It also gives social media companies a big out. Making them responsible for everyone on their networks, regardless of age, would be a good start.