New York City Labels Social Media A Hazard To Public Health
The move makes New York the first city in the U.S. to take this step, and Mayor Eric Adams explained it was all about combating a mental health crisis driven by social media platforms. Meanwhile, in Florida, the House OK'd a ban on social media for children.
The Washington Post:
New York Is First City To Declare Social Media A Public Health Hazard
New York City on Wednesday designated social media a public health hazard for its effect on youth mental health, becoming the first major city in the United States to take such a step, Mayor Eric Adams (D) said in an address. “Companies like TikTok, YouTube, Facebook are fueling a mental health crisis by designing their platforms with addictive and dangerous features,” Adams said in the annual State of the City address. (Ables, 1/25)
USA Today Network:
Florida House OKs Ban On Social Media For Kids, Porn Age Verification
Bill sponsor Fiona McFarland, R-Sarasota, called social media “digital fentanyl.” “Social media companies themselves know how addictive their technology is, and they’re even unable to police the bad guys,” McFarland said on the House floor before the vote. “Despite their best efforts, content about human trafficking and child pornography keep slipping into the algorithm.” (Soule, 1/24)
Politico:
Meta Whistleblower: Regulators Are Our ‘Last Hope’ At Fixing Social Media
A former insider at tech giant Meta has said that social media companies are failing to keep kids safe online, and that government regulators must step in. “Regulators are our last hope at peace. They really are our last hope,” Arturo Béjar told POLITICO at a cafe in central London on Tuesday, shortly before a meeting with the country’s media regulator Ofcom, which will be tasked with enforcing Britain’s sprawling new internet rulebook, the Online Safety Act. (Manancourt, 1/24)
Wired:
Social Media Is Getting Smaller—And More Treacherous
Fragmented and focused social platforms might be good for helping you find a knitting community. But extremist groups are also using them to normalize darker content. (Zuckerman, 1/14)
In related news about mental health —
KFF Health News:
Native American Communities Have The Highest Suicide Rates, Yet Interventions Are Scarce
Amanda MorningStar has watched her children struggle with mental health issues, including suicidal thoughts. She often wonders why. “We’re family-oriented and we do stuff together. I had healthy pregnancies. We’re very protective of our kids,” said MorningStar, who lives in Heart Butte, Montana, a town of about 600 residents on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation. (Platzman Weinstock, 1/25)
The Colorado Sun:
Colorado Has Third-Longest Waitlist For People Charged With Crimes And Ordered Into Psychiatric Treatment
Colorado has for years been short on in-patient psychiatric beds for people with severe mental illness, creating a backlog that means people wait months for care and sit in jail instead of a hospital. The last time the national Treatment Advocacy Center released a status report on the psychiatric bed shortage, Colorado placed 34th among states with 543 beds. (Brown, 1/24)
Minnesota Public Radio:
Brooklyn Park Initiative Offers Alternative To Police Response To Mental Health Crisis Calls
Each day is different for Nils Dybvig, a senior social worker with Hennepin County who works out of the Brooklyn Park Police Department. Dybvig has been a social worker for decades and joined the police department’s Alternative Response Team in December of 2022, when the program first launched. (Thamer, 1/25)
USA Today:
New Jersey Pushes For Mental Health Resources After Sheriff's Death
In the wake of the death of a New Jersey sheriff, who appeared to have taken his own life in a restaurant, Gov. Phil Murphy and other state and local officials have emphasized that mental health resources are available for law enforcement officers and first responders. Research has shown that police officers and firefighters are more likely to die by suicide than in the line of duty. Despite the resources available, the stigma around asking for help is still there. (Wallace, Myers, Fagan, Nguyen, 1/25)
If you need help —
Dial 988 for 24/7 support from the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It's free and confidential.
