CNN
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US Surgeon General Vivek Murthy believes that 13 children is too young to be on social media platforms, because even if websites allow children of that age to join, children are still “developing their identity.”
Meta, Twitter and a host of other social media giants allow 13-year-olds to join their platforms.
Based on what I’ve seen personally, I believe 13 is too early…it’s a time when it’s really important for us to think about their self-esteem and how they think about their relationships. The distorted and often distorted environment of social media creates havoc for many children, Murthy said on “CNN Newsroom.”
The number of teenagers on social media has raised concerns among medical professionals, a A growing body of research About the harm that such platforms can cause to adolescents.
Murthy acknowledges the difficulty of keeping kids away from these platforms given their popularity, but parents can find success by presenting a united front.
“If parents come together and, as you know, as a group, we’re not going to let our kids use it until they’re 16 or 17 or 18 or whatever age they want, that’s a much more effective way to make sure you. Kids don’t get hurt sooner,” he told CNN.
A new study suggests Regularly checking social media can change teenagers’ brain chemistry.
According to a study published this month JAMA PediatricsStudents who explored social media regularly showed increased neural sensitivity in certain parts of their brains, making their brains more vulnerable to social consequences over time.
Psychiatrists like Dr. Adriana Stacey have pointed out this phenomenon for years. Stacey, who works primarily with teenagers and college students, previously told CNN that social media releases “dopamine junk” in the brain.
“When we do addictive things like using cocaine or using smartphones, our brain releases a lot of dopamine at once. Our brain tells us to keep using that,” she said. You can’t be motivated to do anything else.”
Recent studies show other ways that excessive screen time can affect brain development. In young children, for example, excessive screen time is strongly associated Poor emerging reading skills and the ability to use descriptive language.
Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy, Man He recently published an op-ed The general surgeon at The Bulwark echoed their concerns about loneliness and mental health on social media. “We’ve lost something as a society, because so much of our lives have shifted to screen-to-screen communication, it doesn’t give you the same sense of value and satisfaction as talking to someone or seeing someone,” Murphy told CNN in an interview with Murthy.
For both Murphy and Murthy, the issue of social media addiction is personal. Both men are fathers – Murphy to teenagers and Murthy to young children. “It’s no coincidence that Dr. Murty and I are talking about loneliness more than anyone else in public life,” Murphy told CNN. “I see this courtesy of my 14-year-old son and my 11-year-old son.”
As a country, Murphy explains, the United States is not powerless in the face of Big Tech. Lawmakers can make different decisions about restricting young children from social media and encouraging companies to make their algorithms less addictive.
The surgeon also describes addictive algorithms, explaining that pitting teenagers against Big Tech is “not just a fair fight.” He told CNN, “You have some of the best designers and product developers who have designed these products to make sure that people are maximizing the time they spend on these platforms. And if we tell a kid, use the power of your will to control how much time you spend, you’re pitting a kid against the world’s greatest product designers.
Despite the obstacles parents and children face, Murphy is optimistic about the future of social media.
“Nothing is out of our control. “When we have dangerous cars on the road, we put laws in place to make sure those vehicles don’t become dangerous,” he told CNN. “We have to make decisions [social media] A healthy experience that makes children feel better about themselves and less lonely.