Social media are a threat to young people’s mental health

Social media’s presence in our children’s lives is undeniable, and the toll it is taking on their mental health is alarming. As a parent of young children, I understand the pervasive influence of social media on our lives. Despite our best efforts to impose parental controls, the reality is that exposure to toxic content on social media is almost inevitable.

Recently, I have been deeply concerned by the surge in mental health issues among our youth, including anxiety, loneliness, depression and sleep deprivation. This concern is shared by almost all Long Island school districts, which have taken proactive steps in the past few months by filing lawsuits against major social media platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and Snapchat. As an assemblywoman and a mother, I want to be the first to tell these school districts that I stand firmly with them in this fight to protect our children from the harms of this new age of social media.
The legal actions taken by Long Island school districts are not intended to place blame, but rather to address a pressing mental health crisis. This crisis is everyone’s issue — students, schools, parents, teachers and social media companies. It is crucial that social media implement meaningful measures to mitigate the adverse impacts of their platforms on the mental well-being of our young people.

Let’s dive a little deeper into the mental health issues that our young people face daily, and why social media are so addictive. Have you ever mentioned something out loud and then seen ads or posts related to it appear on your screen minutes later? Social media can heighten anxiety and insecurities by constantly bombarding users with content that sets unrealistic standards for how to live, dress or look. And the addiction to receiving comments and likes can lead to high levels of anxiety and, in many cases, depression.

The reality is that social media are highly addictive, with young people often spending hours seeking approval through scrolling.

Nonetheless, we must acknowledge that social media can be beneficial when used healthily and responsibly. They serve as a powerful tool for advertising, marketing, learning, educating and personal growth. I appreciate being able to use social media to reach a wide audience, inform, educate, network and bridge the gap between government and New Yorkers. But in order to foster healthy technology use among our young people, we must educate and, in the case of social media companies, protect our youth to ensure that those media remain safe platforms. As parents and government officials, we play a crucial role in safeguarding our children’s well-being in the digital age.

Fostering open communication between parents and children about social media use, and promoting digital literacy programs in schools, can further support proactive efforts to address the mental health crisis heightened by social media.

Speaking from a legislative point of view, I am happy to be a part of a body that advocates for the health of our young people on a daily basis. I am pleased to have advocated alongside my colleagues for the passage of two significant bills: the Stop Addictive Feeds Exploitation (SAFE) For Kids Act and the New York Child Data Protection Act. The SAFE for Kids Act requires social media companies to restrict addictive features that are harmful to young children and teens, aiming to improve children’s sleep and prohibiting notifications between midnight and 6 a.m. without parental consent. The Data Protection Act limits online sites from collecting, using or sharing personal data of anyone under 18.

These pieces of legislation are just the beginning when it comes to protecting and addressing the mental health crisis among our children in the era of social media. As Long Islanders, as New Yorkers, as parents, we need to act now. Our children need us. We need to return to a mentally healthier society. I applaud Long Island school districts for highlighting that this is an issue that needs to be addressed.
But lawsuits can’t do it alone.

Taylor Darling represents the 18th Assembly District.