US Surgeon General Vivek Murthy has expressed his view that 13-year-olds are too young to be on social media platforms due to the unrealistic and distorted messaging they can be exposed to at such a crucial and impressionable age. Currently, most major social media platforms allow anyone over 13 to join.
Some health professionals have also expressed concerns regarding the impact of addictive behaviors that can be linked to social media use. Psychiatrist, Dr. Adrianna Stacey, commented on the highly addictive 'dopamine dump' that social media delivers to teenagers and how this can lead to social consequences, stating that "When we do things that are addictive like use cocaine or use smartphones, our brains release a lot of dopamine at once. It tells our brains to keep using that. For teenagers in particular, this part of their brain is actually hyperactive compared to adults. They can't get motivated to do anything else."
Spending excessive amounts of time online is also an issue, with studies showing young people's development being potentially impacted in a number of ways, including poor literacy skills and the ability to use expressive language.
I, personally, based on the data I've seen, believe that 13 is too early... It's a time where it's really important for us to be thoughtful about what's going into how they think about their own self-worth and their relationships and the skewed and often distorted environment of social media often does a disservice to many of those children.
Vivek Murthy, US Surgeon General
Senator Chris Murphy, who has shown to be a strong advocate of mental health awareness, has openly echoed the Surgeon General's concerns regarding under-13s use of social media, stating that "We have lost something as a society, as so much of our life has turned into screen-to-screen communication, it just doesn't give you the same sense of value and the same sense of satisfaction as talking to somebody or seeing someone."
Usage of sophisticated algorithms and product developments designed to ensure users are spending the maximum amount of time on platforms have also come under attack. According to Senator Murphy, this is "just not a fair fight," adding that "if we tell a child, use the force of your willpower to control how much time you're spending, you're pitting a child against the world's greatest product designers."
Despite the challenges that parents face, Senator Murphy had some optimistic words regarding the future of social media, commenting, "None of this is out of our control. When we had dangerous vehicles on the road, we passed laws to make those vehicles less dangerous. We should make decisions to make social media a healthier experience that would make kids feel better about themselves and less alone."
The US Surgeon General recently featured as part of our "Dare to Love, Defy Hate" campaign on World Mental Health Day in partnership with The CW Network alongside Stevie Wonder and a number of public figures encouraging people to prioritize love, kindness, and respect online.