To your kid, TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, and other platforms may seem essential for a healthy social life. But as an adult, you know social media also opens them up to the Wild West of the internet, including exposure to potentially hateful content, online harassment, and other harms.
Until now, the onus has been on parents and caregivers to navigate when and how their kids should access social media. That’s still the case, but key mental health groups and players have recently weighed in to say it’s time to give parents and caregivers more guidance.
U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, MD, issued an advisory last May 23 on the topic of Social Media and Youth Mental Health. The report outlines the current scientific evidence on the health effects of social media use in kids, as well as action items for key stakeholders, including parents and caregivers.
Surgeon General’s advisories are a type of public statement “reserved for public health challenges that require the nation’s immediate awareness and action.”
