U.S. surgeon general warns Lincoln parents of social media’s harm to children
LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) – U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy was in Lincoln on Tuesday to talk to parents about social media and the impact it has on youth mental health.
The surgeon general has visited campuses all across the U.S. and determined that youth have developed serious self-esteem problems and social anxiety due to social media.
Murthy’s studies have shown that extensive use of social media has caused feelings of loneliness and depression at an alarming rate.
He said depression and loneliness are proven to have more harm to our physical health than smoking or obesity and can lead to heart disease, among other things.
Ultimately, the surgeon general proposed that the federal government needs to pass legislation restricting the use of social media before high school.
Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird and Lori Sibel, CEO of the Community Health Endowment of Lincoln, hosted the event at the Bryan Medical Center East Campus.
You can watch Murthy’s full remarks on the city’s YouTube page.
