Social Media Is A Health Issue?

Social media as hazardous to your health!  Talk about a nice counterintuitive report.  I think we all worry about our kids spending too much time online and not getting enough exercise, but what about “Facebook depression”, cyberbulling, and sexting…not to mention age-inappropriate material?

In yesterday’s USA Today, there’s an article about how social media can enrich children’s lives but can also be hazardous to their mental and physical health.  It’s focused on a report by the American Academy of Pediatricians, but I think this also builds on the Kaiser report out earlier this year about the amount of time kids spend in front of electronic media – 7.5 hours PER DAY. 

because tweens and teens have a limited capacity for self-regulation and are susceptible to peer pressure, they are at some risk as they engage in and experiment with social media, according to the report. They can find themselves on sites and in situations that are not age-appropriate, and research suggests that the content of some social media sites can influence youth to engage in risky behaviors. In addition, social media provides venues for cyberbullying and sexting, among other dangers. Youth who are more at-risk offline tend to also be more at-risk online.

Interesting.  Do you agree?