New York City declared social media ‘Health hazard’ a threat to the mental health of young people, NYC is the first major U.S. city to take such action.

The city’s Health Commissioner, Ashwin Vasan, issued an advisory officially labeling social media as a public health hazard in New York City. Mayor Eric Adams blamed platforms like TikTok, YouTube, and Facebook for contributing to a mental health crisis with their addictive and harmful features and likened this move to how the U.S. surgeon general addressed issues with tobacco and guns in the past.

In response to the concerns raised, Vasan provided guidance in the advisory to young people on promoting healthy social media use. This includes establishing tech-free times and places, being aware of emotions while using social media, and discussing concerns related to social media and mental health with adults.

The advisory pointed out that a large percentage of U.S. teens use social media, but the growing mental health crisis among young people has raised worries about the impact of these platforms and their potential to create addictive habits.

Some social media companies, such as TikTok and YouTube, have taken steps to address concerns by introducing features that allow parents to have more control over their children’s online activity and limit their screen time.

Last year, the U.S. Surgeon General Vivek H. Murthy expressed in an advisory that there isn’t enough evidence to determine whether social media is “sufficiently safe for children and adolescents.” He acknowledged the potential contribution of social media to the ongoing youth mental health crisis.

The advisory from the New York City health commissioner revealed alarming increases in rates of hopelessness and suicidal ideation among high-schoolers in the city between 2011 and 2021, with certain demographics, such as Black, Latino, female, or LGBTQ+ individuals, experiencing disproportionately high rates of hopelessness.

According to Axios News,

NY City’s Department of Health and Mental Hygiene issued an advisory identifying unrestricted access to and use of social media as a public health hazard.

• The department urged parents and caregivers to delay giving children access to a smartphone or social media until at least age 14.
• They also urged federal and state policymakers to expand on legislative proposals that protect youth from “predatory practices by social media companies.”

NYC Mayor Eric Adams said in his State of the City speech Wednesday, “We won’t let Big Tech endanger our kids.” The advisory urged all New Yorkers to “advocate to hold social media companies accountable and advance reform that protects youth from harmful and predatory practices.”

Recent Pew Research on US teens use of social media. [Link]