How might regulations be changed to avoid social media dangers? Elizabeth Tracey reports
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Social media platforms should carry a warning label about dangers posed to young people by using them, US Surgeon General Vivek Murthy says. Johns Hopkins psychiatrist Carol Vidal, who has just published a study linking social media and depression, says the very way the sites are designed carries risk.
Vidal: The tool is addictive for sure and then I think some people obviously will have more predisposition to use it more than other people. I feel like if you start using it earlier, like with everything it'll be hard to stop, more than if you're for mature and your brain is more basically have the ability to control more your impulses and make rational decisions. Not that kids aren't rational they’re just more impulsive and they're not as well prepared to have perspective and to be able to make decisions about when to stop using something that may be harmful for them. :31
Since many use the platforms on smartphones they can be especially hard to monitor, Vidal notes. At Johns Hopkins, I’m Elizabeth Tracey.