DATE:
July 16, 2024
16
TO:
Board of Supervisors
SUBJECT
Title
AFFIRMATIVE LITIGATION AGAINST SOCIAL MEDIA COMPANIES FOR THEIR ROLE IN THE YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS (DISTRICTS: ALL)
Body
OVERVIEW
In May 2023, the U.S. Surgeon General issued an advisory warning that social media is contributing to our nation's youth mental health crisis. The American Psychological Association (APA) has since also issued a health advisory examining the connections between social media use and reduced well-being and rising mood disorders, chiefly depression, and anxiety among youth ages 10 to 25 years old.
According to the Pew Research Center, in 2010, when smartphones were becoming mainstream, only about half of teens reported using social media. Today, social media usage is ubiquitous with 95% of teens reporting they use some social media and about a third reporting they use it constantly. The APA reports that U.S. teens spend an average of five hours every day using the seven most popular social media apps, with Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube accounting for 87% of their social media time.
Since 2010, nearly every indicator of mental health and psychological well-being among teens and young adults has deteriorated. San Diego County's Health and Human Services Health Equity Report (2022) confirms this alarming trend with youth ages 15 to 24 years of age having the highest burden of depression compared with all other age groups in the County. These youth are also utilizing inpatient treatment services and visiting emergency rooms at a rate two times higher than any other age group for depression and anxiety.
It is in response to these developments that mental health experts are warning habitual social media use is nearing addiction levels and contributing to the youth mental health crisis.
To date, there have been few meaningful changes by the industry and no adoption of federal or state policies curbing the industry's harm to developing minds. As of Ju...
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