A year after the American Psychological Association issued a landmark health advisory on social media use in adolescence, they are urging legislators and technology companies to take greater measures to protect adolescent mental health. The APA says that social media platforms are intended for adults and not “inherently suitable for youth.” Technology companies have made few meaningful changes since this critical advisory was released last year. Social media creates too many opportunities for endless scrolling and push notifications according to the APA. This is risky for developing brains that are less able to disengage from addictive experiences while being more sensitive to distractions. “The platforms seem to be designed to keep kids engaged for as long as possible, to keep them on there. And kids are just not able to resist those impulses as effectively as adults,” according to APA chief science officer Mitch Prinstein. He added that more than half of teens report at least one symptom of clinical dependency on social media. They are urging social media companies to make fundamental design changes to protect youth.
