U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy warned in a new advisory Tuesday that widespread social media use among kids and teens poses a significant mental health risk that needs to be addressed immediately. Such advisories are "reserved for significant public health challenges that require the nation's immediate awareness and action," according to a report released by the Surgeon General's office. The report is based on "a substantial review of the available evidence," on the impact of social media. It's not the first time Murthy has called out social media as contributing...

The U.S. Surgeon General, Dr. Vivek Murthy, issued the first-ever advisory on social media use and the impact it has on young people's mental health. The report, released on May 23, says that 95% of teenagers use social media regularly, adding that there is not enough evidence “to determine if social media use is sufficiently safe for them.” While the advisory acknowledges some benefits of social media among young people, including connection and identity-affirming content, it also spells out the harm social media can cause. For example, in terms of...

A new advisory from the U.S. surgeon general warns of an urgent public health issue regarding social media usage and youth mental health. In the new advisory, released Tuesday, Dr. Vivek H. Murthy calls for more research to determine the extent of mental health impacts on young people, including the type of content generating the most harm, societal factors that could protect youth and ways in which social media can be beneficial. "To date the burden of protecting youth has fallen predominantly on children, adolescents and their families," Murthy writes....

The United States surgeon general, Dr. Vivek H. Murthy, issued a public advisory on Tuesday warning of the risks of social media use to young people. In a 19-page report, Dr. Murthy noted that although the effects of social media on adolescent mental health were not fully understood, and that social media can be beneficial to some users, “there are ample indicators that social media can also have a profound risk of harm to the mental health and well-being of children and adolescents.” The surgeon general called on policymakers, tech...

There’s not enough evidence to determine whether social media is safe enough for children and adolescents when it comes to their mental health, according to a new advisory from the US surgeon general. Tuesday’s advisory notes that although there are some benefits, social media use presents “a profound risk of harm” for kids. It calls for increased research into social media’s impact on youth mental health, as well as action from policymakers and technology companies. The 25-page advisory comes as a growing number of states are aiming to tighten regulations...