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Social Media and Youth Mental Health

U.S. Surgeon General: “This Advisory describes the current evidence on the impacts of social media on the mental health of children and adolescents. It states that we cannot conclude social media is sufficiently safe for children and adolescents and outlines immediate steps we can take to mitigate the risk of harm to children and adolescents. Key Highlights:

  • Social media use by young people is nearly universal. Up to 95% of young people aged 13-17 report using a social media platform. Nearly two thirds of teenagers report using social media every day and one third report using social media “almost constantly.”
  • Social media presents a meaningful risk of harm to youth, while also providing benefits.
  • We cannot conclude that social media is sufficiently safe for children and adolescents
  • We can take immediate actions to make social media safer for youth

The Surgeon General’s Advisory on Social Media and Youth Mental Health calls for engaging in a multifaceted effort to maximize the benefits and reduce the risk of harm posed by social media with actions suggested for groups including: children and adolescents, policymakers, technology companies, researchers, and families.”

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