Teens on social media is a problem many parents and guardians have lost sleep over, but for which few feel there are real, practical solutions. Don’t worry, there are, experts say.
While there are some benefits, social media presents a “profound risk of harm” for children and adolescents, and more needs to be done by policymakers and technology companies, according to an advisory this week from the US Surgeon General.
“We cannot wait for action to be taken,” said Eva Telzer in a joint statement with her colleague, Mitch Prinstein, to CNN. “We are looking to policy-makers and tech companies to help ensure teens can benefit from the best parts of social media, yet be protected from its risks.”
Prinstein is a professor of psychology and neuroscience at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, co-director with Telzer at the Winston National Center on Technology, Brain and Psychological Development, and the American Psychological Association’s chief science officer.