January 30, 2023 – The US Surgeon General says 13 is simply too young to begin using social media.
Most social media platforms, including TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram and Facebook, allow users to create accounts in the event that they indicate they’re no less than 13 years old.
“I personally believe, based on the data I've seen, that 13 is too early. … It's a time when it's really important for us to think about what they think about their own self-worth and their relationships, and the skewed and often distorted environment of social media often does a lot of these kids a disservice,” U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, MD, told CNN.
Research has shown that social media use and online activity amongst teenagers results in cyberbullying and serious psychological harm – at a time when the influence of the web has grow to be ubiquitous for young people.
According to the Pew Research Center95% of teens ages 13 and older own a smartphone, and 97% of teens say they use the web day by day. Among 13- and 14-year-olds, 61% say they use TikTok and 51% say they use Snapchat. Older teens ages 15-17 use these social media platforms more regularly: 71% say they use TikTok and 65% use Snapchat.
“If parents come together and say as a group that they will not allow their children to use social media until they are 16, 17, 18 or whatever age they choose, that is a much more effective strategy to ensure that their children are not exposed to dangers at an early age,” Murthy told CNN.