Several US states are concerned that the mental health of its young users are under threat from social media platforms. Over 40 US states have sued Meta for platforms like Facebook and Instagram. They claim that the social media company is knowingly and deliberately hurting the mental condition of children. The platforms, owned by Meta, have been accused of designing features that could potentially harm children’s mental health.
According to the complainants, “Meta has harnessed powerful and unprecedented technologies to entice, engage, and ultimately ensnare youth and teens. Its motive is profit, and in seeking to maximize its financial gains, Meta has repeatedly misled the public about the substantial dangers of its social media platforms,” the complaint says. “It has concealed the ways in which these platforms exploit and manipulate its most vulnerable consumers: teenagers and children.”
The lawsuit further claims that “Kids and teenagers are suffering from record levels of poor mental health and social media companies like Meta are to blame,” said New York Attorney General Letitia James in a statement. “Meta has profited from children’s pain by intentionally designing its platforms with manipulative features that make children addicted to their platforms while lowering their self-esteem.”
Meta responded to the accusations by claiming that it is disappointed with the case. In a statement it said that it is on the side of the attorney generals who have formulated the case against Meta’s Instagram and Facebook. To justify that, Meta has claimed it has introduced over 30 tools just to support teens and families.
Meta stated, “We’re disappointed that instead of working productively with companies across the industry to create clear, age-appropriate standards for the many apps teens use, the attorney generals have chosen this path.”
But what does the research say?
A study conducted at the University of Pennsylvania found that high usage of Facebook, Snapchat, and Instagram increases feelings of loneliness. The research suggests that limiting social media usage to around 30 minutes a day can lead to significant improvement in well-being.
In September 2021, a report by the Wall Street Journal leaked an internal document authored by Facebook’s own researchers. In the presentation, they acknowledged that Instagram can make teenagers feel worse about their bodies. In fact, “32% of teen girls said that when they felt bad about their bodies, Instagram made them feel worse.” One of its internal studies found that 13.5% of teen girls said Instagram made suicidal thoughts worse, and 17% of teen girls said it made eating disorders worse.
A US state has a unique solution to this problem. Utah became the first US state to require social media firms to get parental consent for children to use their apps and verify users are at least 18. The state has also imposed a social media curfew that blocks children’s access between 22:30 and 06:30 unless adjusted by their parents.
How can you protect kids and teens from the ill effects of Social Media?
There are steps you can take to encourage responsible use of social media and limit some of its negative effects. Consider these tips:
Set reasonable limits: Talk to your teen about how to avoid letting social media interfere with his or her activities, sleep, meals or homework. Encourage a bedtime routine that avoids electronic media use, and keep smartphones and tablets out of teens' bedrooms. Set an example by following these rules yourself.
Monitor your teen's accounts: Let your teen know that you'll be regularly checking his or her social media accounts. You might aim to do so once a week or more. Make sure you follow through.
Explain what's not OK: Discourage your teen from gossiping, spreading rumors, bullying or damaging someone's reputation — online or otherwise. Talk to your teen about what is appropriate and safe to share on social media.
Encourage face-to-face contact with friends: This is particularly important for teens vulnerable to social anxiety disorder.
Talk about social media: Talk about your own social media habits. Ask your teen how he or she is using social media and how it makes him or her feel. Remind your teen that social media is full of unrealistic images.
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