It often takes a while to truly understand the long-term health risks associated with something new. When social media became prevalent on smartphones and in schools, we didn't know how it would affect young people. Now, it's clear that social media use does negatively affect kids, with an advisory from the U.S. Surgeon General stating that "types of use and content children and adolescents are exposed to pose mental health concerns."
Although experts and regulators are beginning to acknowledge that social media use at a young age poses risks, no one can agree on what to do about it. Some countries, like Australia, are enacting outright social media bans. In the U.S., individual states and school districts are banning cell phones in schools while legislators mull what to do at the national level.
