While social media use by teens is near ubiquitous, the U.S. Surgeon General is warning that the mental health impacts are still not fully known—and has called on tech companies to “take immediate action to mitigate unintended negative effects.”
Dr. Vivek Murthy noted that while children under 13 are technically banned from signing up for services like TikTok, Snapchat, and more, children have been able to easily join and bypass limitations. Up to 95% of kids between the ages of 13 and 17 report using a social media platform, with more than a third saying they use social media “almost constantly,” according to a new report from the Surgeon General.
