More research is needed to better understand “the impact of social media” on young people, but “there is ample evidence” that it can have negative consequences, he says in a 19-page report. For example, studies have found a connection between the use of social networks and the occurrence of depressive symptoms. According to Vivek Murthy, these platforms can push youngsters to compare themselves, thereby eroding their self-esteem.
cyber harassment
Young girls might be even more vulnerable. According to a study cited by Vivek Murthy, using these platforms makes them more vulnerable than boys to cyberbullying or even developing eating disorders. All young people could also be exposed to “dangerous” content that showed, for example, violent or sexual acts, emphasizes the chief physician.
Tech companies should enforce a “minimum age” for children to participate in their social networks and create default settings that better protect their privacy, he says. According to the Pew Research Center, up to 95% of young Americans ages 13 to 17 say they use a social network, with a third using it “almost constantly.”
On the same topic
“The TikTok system”: technological progress or social danger?
Journalist Océane Herrero delved into the intricacies of the Chinese social network that’s taking over the world. Its algorithm remains enigmatic, its addictiveness frightening… So is TikTok just another avatar of the digital revolution or a threat to our youth?
Mental health
Social networks, and in particular their impact on the youngest, are a cause for concern in the United States. Montana passed legislation last week to ban the TikTok app next year, becoming the first US state to do so.