Response to ‘Benefits and Harms of Proposed Social Media Legislation’

In reviewing the ongoing debate surrounding social media legislation for teens, it’s clear that we are not taking child development and the associated harms of teen social media use seriously enough.

In the article, Benefits and Harms of the Proposed Social Media Legislation published on July 22 in the journal JAMA Pediatrics, Dr. Megan Moreno and Dr. Jenny Radesky argue that policy approaches that inadequately support adolescent autonomy “may do more harm than good.”

Examples of harmful legislation these doctors list include those that shut down particular social media sites, impose age restrictions for social media use, or require parental permission for social media.

“It is important to recognize that there are multiple complex factors that contribute to adolescent mental health, and technology-based legislation alone will not solve the current mental health crisis,” notes the JAMA article.

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