The U.S. Surgeon General Fears Social Media Is Harming the 'Well-Being of Our Children'
In this May 2023 interview published days after his federal advisory, Surgeon General Vivek Murthy told TIME's Alice Park that 'there isn't enough data to say that social media platforms are safe for kids, and there is growing evidence that social media use is associated with harms.' He described hearing directly from students that social media had worsened their self-image and friendships and made it hard for them to disengage, and argued technology companies should be required to meet independent safety standards for products used by children — similar to standards in other industries — rather than setting their own internal guidelines. He noted that roughly 40% of children ages 8–12 use social media despite a common industry minimum age of 13. TechKids Foundation cites this interview as a direct, first-person account of the reasoning behind Murthy's advisory.
Murthy told TIME that although the industry-standard minimum age for social media platforms is 13, nearly 40% of children ages 8–12 use social media.
Park, Alice. "The U.S. Surgeon General Fears Social Media Is Harming the 'Well-Being of Our Children.'" TIME, May 26, 2023.