MIAMI.-In an unprecedented statement in USAthe mayor of NYEric Adams, appointed the social networks “an environmental toxin” that threatens the mental health of minors, and equated its effects to those caused by weapons and tobacco on public health.
“In that same way we are going to treat social networks: as another threat to health that must stop,” he expressed during the annual speech about his management in the city this July 25.
Adams asked not to be indifferent “and let big technology companies monetize the privacy of our children.” “We must guarantee that technology companies take responsibility for their products,” said the mayor, in another of his controversial statements in which he did not specify any measure against technology companies.
The mayor, who boasted of making New York the first city in the United States to take this step, relied on a notice from the New York City Department of Health that issued the measure and which was expanded by the commissioner of City Health, Ashwin Vasan.
Social media report
Vasan noted that the advisory raises “awareness of this threat and provides resources for healthier relationships and stronger offline connections,” according to statements cited by the media.
The Department of Health echoes a Mental Health report, published in 2021, according to which 77% of high school students spend three hours or more a day in front of a screen during their leisure time.
“Black, Latino, female, or LGBTQ+ students experienced disproportionately high rates of hopelessness”, refers to a publication.
The report highlights some advice for teachers, guardians and parents: do not give a cell phone to children until 14 years of age, disable social networks and limit cell phone use during free hours, it was reported.
Alert for events in New York
Acts involving minors with social networks are common in New York, among other cities, and their risks are a reference for the authorities.
On January 16, state authorities reported the death of a 14-year-old teenager who imitated a game published on the networks: he climbed onto the roof of the New York train pretending he was a board and began to ride. surfing, but he fell on the road.
Relatives declared in the media that the teenager followed others who played that dangerous game. “There are many of them. There are many children doing it and they do it only for the publications” on networks, they said, which is why they asked to investigate.
Mayor Adams highlighted in his speech that applications in demand by young people, such as TikTok, YouTube and Facebook, are “fueling a mental health crisis” through features of their platforms that “are designed to be addictive and dangerous.”
Source: With information from eldiariony.com, Infobae, Daily News
