Social Media Carries ‘Profound Risk of Harm’ to Kids Mental Health, Surgeon General Warns

Social media use may come with a "profound risk of harm" to the mental health of kids and teens in the United States (US), Surgeon General Vivek Murthy warned.

The US Surgeon General issued a new advisory, warning parents about the ill effects of excessive social media use among youth.

Social Media May Harm Kids Mental Health, Surgeon General Warns

According to NBC News, the Surgeon General has sounded the alarm about the dangerous effects of social media on the mental well-being of kids and teenagers in the US.

Murthy, a long-time advocate of mental health awareness, has issued an advisory which sheds light on the mental health problems among the youth these days.

He emphasizes that social media platforms have become breeding grounds for a plethora of mental health issues among our youngest generation. The constant exposure to social networking platforms has sparked an alarming surge in anxiety, depression, and social isolation among children and teens.

According to the New York Times, the US Surgeon warns that social media could present "a profound risk of harm" to young minds' well-being and mental health.

Murthy says, "At this point, we do not have enough evidence to say with confidence that social media is sufficiently safe for our kids." But despite that, he urges parents to take action as early as now to protect the welfare of young minds in the country. He urges lawmakers and tech giants to be more transparent to parents on how its usage affects young minds.

Excessive Social Media Use Among Young Minds

The Surgeon General's advisory cites Federal Trade Commission (FTC) data, showing that almost all teens use social media. As per ABC News, the study finds that roughly 90 percent of adolescents, ages 13 to 17, admit usage of services like Twitter and TikTok. A third of them confess to the constant use of social media, which includes scrolling, posting, and other engagements.

The study, cited in the US Surgeon's warning, also exposed alarming usage numbers. The research shows that most children and teens are now hooked on these social media services. On average, young folks typically spend around three and a half hours merely scrolling or posting on these apps.

All these figures about the social media use of young minds disturb the US Surgeon General. Murthy says the numbers are "deeply concerning" as usage of more than three hours poses a harmful risk of developing anxiety or depression.

Besides that, the US surgeon also undermined the pressures social media leaves its users, forcing them to achieve unrealistic beauty standards. Not to mention that these platforms also let users seek validation through the number of likes and followers.

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Mental health