The surgeon general of the United States – the highest health authority in the country-, Vivek Murthyadvocated this Monday for introducing mental health notices on social mediasimilar to those in the tobacco packets or alcohol bottles.
Murthy said these notices to parents are one of the biggest warning tools towards the population, so he asked Congress, responsible for promoting them, to act.
“The time has come to demand a surgeon general warning on social media platforms, stating that social media use is associated with significant damage to adolescent mental health“said Murthy, in an article published in The New York Times.
The general surgeon cited in his article studies that have concluded that adolescents who invest more than three hours a day social networks face a increased risk of mental health problems. A Gallup study indicates that, on average, American teenagers spend almost 5 hours a day on social networks.
“Why haven’t we responded to the harms of social media when they are as urgent and common as those of unsafe cars, airplanes or food?” Murthy questioned.
The doctor indicated that a warning would “regularly remind parents and adolescents that social networks have not been proven safe“.
Several states in the country have begun to legislate to protect minors from social networks, such as Florida, which prohibited the use of these platforms up to the age of 14.
The drastic decision that France made
Last week, President Emmanuel Macron announced No child will be able to use a cell phone before the age of 11. and they will not have access to social networks until they are 15 years old in the country, as a way to protect them.
The measure will be adopted after specialists and experts delivered a 125-page report to the head of state at the Elysée Palace at the end of April, warning of the dangers that this early access implies for childrentheir habits, violence, reading, obesity and sociability.
Currently the use of cell phones at school and university is prohibited only for students in France. However, management staff as well as educational teams must demonstrate reasonable use of their communication devices, to allow students to fully understand the measure.
This expert report recommends prohibiting the use of screens for children under three years of age and mobile phones for children under 11, strictly limiting access in later years to adolescents. It was handed over to the French government on April 29, 2024.
They talk about a “hyperconnection that children experience.” Experts briefed Emmanuel Macron on children’s exposure to screens and social media.
