The U.S. Surgeon General Fears Social Media Is Harming the ‘ Well-Being of Our Children ’

On May 23, U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy issued an advisory warning about the impact that social media is having on the mental health of young people. “I issued this advisory because this is an urgent crisis,” Murthy tells TIME. “In the effort to maximize the benefit and minimize the harms of social media on children, we have not made enough progress. As a consequence, I worry about the mental health and well-being of our children.” In a conversation with TIME, Murthy discusses how parents, policy makers, researchers, and technology companies can and should come together to make social media platforms safer for children. (This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity.) [time-brightcove not-tgx=”true”] More from TIME [video id=ZJWzXvgf autostart="viewable"] TIME: Why do you think social media’s impact on young people is so concerning? Since becoming Surgeon General, I have focused primarily on mental health and well-being, which I see as the defining public health crisis of our time. And youth are a point of concern. As I traveled around the country and talked to families about mental-health concerns, the No. 1 question I get from parents is about social media: “Is social media safe for my kids?” And many kids raise the same concerns. At roundtables I’ve had with middle-school students, high-school students, and college students, they often proactively bring up social media. Read More: How to Star...
Source: TIME: Health - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tags: Uncategorized healthscienceclimate Mental Health Source Type: news