Online Platforms Are Empowering and Protecting Youth Online
By Beleyou Kebede and Morgan Wilsmann, Public Policy Fellows
On May 23rd, 2023, the Surgeon General issued an advisory report raising alarms on social media’s supposedly detrimental impact on youth mental health. What the report fails to acknowledge is that many technology companies are already taking steps to address the outlined concerns, and make a user experience that is safe and inclusive.
Kids Find Community Online
With a whopping 81% of teens saying social media allows them to feel more connected to their friends, the Surgeon General’s report gives short shrift to online platforms’ incredible community-building capabilities — especially for marginalized folks with little social support offline, like LGBTQ youth.
What’s more, social media has provided a platform for teens and students of color to speak up against racial prejudice, with 82% of Black and Hispanic users stating that social media is effective for creating sustained social movements, while a majority (58%) of youth said that social media makes them feel more accepted.
Spotlighting Tech Companies’ Mental Health Safeguards
Contrary to the Surgeon General report, an Oxford study using 12 years of data across 72 countries found no significant link between heightened social media activity and increased rates of anxiety or depression.
Despite this, tech companies have moved forward in integrating safety features aimed at shielding young users from potential mental health risks.
Take a look at YouTube’s restricted mode feature, which allows parents to hide mature content. Going further, YouTube for Kids is a product with child safety at its core, focusing on age-appropriate and enriching content, fostering learning and allowing children to explore their passions.
Instagram allows parents to request supervision of teens’ social media accounts and provides tools to monitor time spent on the app, set daily time limits, and schedule breaks. And Google’s Family Link helps parents manage screen time on their child’s Android device, including approving or blocking other apps, and even locking the device when it’s time for bed
Connecting Families with Mental Health Resources
The Surgeon General agrees that social media-based health interventions can be effective, and are the best way to reach teens and adolescents. After all, 87% of teens use social media to search for or find health information, particularly related to mental health issues like anxiety or depression.
With this in mind, tech companies are stepping up by sharing mental health resources targeted at adolescents aged 13 to 17. Leading the charge, Meta introduced the Online Wellbeing section on its online safety center, offering suicide prevention information, including recognizing suicidal behaviors and warning signs. It also provides crisis support hotlines.
What’s more, their “youth-wellbeing” section shares resources and information on features designed to protect against potential mental health risks, including ‘take a break’ reminders, hiding likes, time spent controls, and kindness in DM reminders.
In addition to mental health support, tech companies are playing a crucial role in promoting digital literacy for parents and youth alike, with tools like:
- Meta’s Safety Center: Provides guides for tools to help users control their experience.
- Meta’s Parent Portal: Offers parents insights and tips on online safety and parental tools.
- Safety Guides: Guides created with partners on a range of issues, such as “Help a friend in need” and “Be Kind Online.”Digital Literacy library: Developed by Youth and Media researchers at Harvard, these resources are for educators who work with youth ages 11–18.
- Google For Families Help Center: Provides resources on parental controls and internet safety information.
Safety Protocols by Technology Companies Align with Surgeon General’s Recommendation
The Surgeon General urged tech companies to establish mechanisms for addressing complaints and requests from parents and young users.Yet the enforcement of community guidelines, which are specifically designed to handle concerns and violations, already fulfills this purpose.
Take Meta, for example; under the current system, parents and young users can report content they find harmful through features built into the platform. They have established enforceable guidelines that specifically address mental health concerns for users aged 13–17, offering young people extra protections.
Underlining their dedication to youth safety online, in the first quarter of 2023, Meta took action against 6.6 million instances of bullying content on Instagram and 6.9 million on Facebook. Additionally, Meta removed 10.7 million pieces of hate speech content on Facebook and 5.1 million on Instagram during the same period.
The May 2023 Surgeon General’s report — while crucial in normalizing the burgeoning mental health crisis among our youth — fails to sufficiently account for social media platforms that are already supporting parents and young users to enhance their online safety and reduce potential mental health risks.
Tech companies are also maintaining spaces where teenagers can connect, express themselves, and find acceptance. They’re integrating tools and safety features to protect children and teens from potential health issues. In doing so, these companies are setting industry standards and contributing to the continuous improvement of the online experience for young people.
Chamber of Progress (progresschamber.org) is a center-left tech industry association promoting technology’s progressive future. We work to ensure that all Americans benefit from technological leaps, and that the tech industry operates responsibly and fairly.
Our work is supported by our corporate partners, but our partners do not sit on our board of directors and do not have a vote on or veto over our positions. We do not speak for individual partner companies and remain true to our stated principles even when our partners disagree.
