Social media1
use by youth is nearly universal. Up to 95% of youth ages 13–17
report using a social media platform, with more than a third saying they use
social media “almost constantly.” 2 Although age 13 is commonly the required
minimum age used by social media platforms in the U.S.,3 nearly 40% of children
ages 8–12 use social media.4 Despite this widespread use among children and
adolescents, robust independent safety analyses on the impact of social media
on youth have not yet been conducted. There are increasing concerns among
researchers, parents and caregivers, young people, healthcare experts, and
others about the impact of social media on youth mental health.5, 6