Surgeon General Issues Warning on Social Media's Impact on Youth Mental Health
The US Surgeon General, Dr. Vivek Murthy, has issued a public warning about the potential harm of social media to young people's mental health and well-being. While acknowledging that social media can be beneficial to some users, Dr. Murthy noted that there is a "profound risk of harm" to adolescent mental health. The report included practical recommendations for families to guide children's social media use, such as keeping mealtimes and in-person gatherings free of devices and creating a "family media plan." Dr. Murthy also called on tech companies to enforce minimum age limits and create default settings for children with high safety and privacy standards.