Physicians Ask Lawmakers to Make Social Media Safer for Children, Prevent Data Mining

Jan. 7, 2025

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It is a common sight: children and teens scrolling through social media apps for hours on their phones or tablets. Social media addiction can cut into time spent studying, playing with friends, or even eating meals. Studies show children and adolescents who spend more than 3 hours a day on social media face a higher risk of mental health problems including depression and anxiety – which physicians find concerning, since a recent survey found teens spend at least that long scrolling every day. 


To address this problem, the Texas Medical Association (TMA) and Texas Pediatric Society told a committee of the Texas Legislature about the importance of developing policies that promote healthy technology use for young people and restrict data mining of minors’ information.

“I have patients with poor school performance because they are up all night on their phones,” said Lindy McGee, MD, a Houston pediatrician and chair of TMA’s Committee on Child and Adolescent Health, in today’s hearing. “We all know that these algorithms can lead kids to dark places as it did with my patient who told me that she developed an eating disorder because her social media feed told her to.”

Social media addiction also can lead to sedentary behavior causing chronic inflammation, frequent headaches, and back pain in children and adolescents – as well as poor nutrition choices culminating in hypertension, obesity, and diabetes.

Dr. McGee called on lawmakers to develop policies that make social media safer.

She advocated restrictions on the data mining of minors’ information. Social media companies can collect a large amount of personal data and exploit the data for targeted advertising, the physician told lawmakers. Children may lack sufficient critical thinking skills to recognize this manipulation.

“If you take away the media company’s ability to target minors with advertising, then you take away their incentive to keep minors on their platform with addictive practices,” said Dr. McGee.

The physician groups support national efforts to address manipulative social media practices. Their other suggestions for lawmakers include:

  • Public education on healthy technology use – particularly use by minors – including risks and the addictive nature of social media algorithms;
  • Make social media sites less addictive by preventing algorithms on accounts for minors; and
  • Allow researchers and regulators access to data on social media algorithms and the integration of artificial intelligence features that mimic “friends” – features that should not be available to minors without parental consent.

 Dr. McGee said the focus on algorithms is important because they allow social media platforms to amplify the “filter bubble” effect, pushing harmful content like eating disorders, violence, and suicidal thoughts, based on an individual’s online use patterns.

 “My patient who started out searching for healthy eating tips ended up on an algorithm which pushed disordered eating,” she said.

 With youth mental health concerns becoming more prevalent in U.S., Dr. McGee said it is important to “act swiftly and decisively to protect children and adolescents from harm.”

This hearing preceded the start of the 89th session of the Texas Legislature, which convenes Jan. 14.

TMA is the largest state medical society in the nation, representing more than 57,000 physician and medical student members. Located in Austin, TMA has 110 component county medical societies around the state. TMA’s key objective since 1853 is to improve the health of all Texans.

 

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Disclaimer.

TMA Contacts:   Brent Annear  (512) 370-1381; cell: (512) 656-7320

Swathi Narayanan (512) 370-1382; cell: (408) 987-1318

Connect with TMA on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

Last Updated On

January 07, 2025

Originally Published On

January 07, 2025

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