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Eric Adams declares social networks "toxic"

The mayor of New York said that the city is the first to classify these platforms are a "public health hazard."

Eric Adams, FBI, demócrata

Wikimedia Commons

Published by
Rosana Rábago Sainz

Eric Adams declared this Wednesday that social networks are an "environmental toxin." The mayor of New York stated during his State of the City speech that these platforms are a "public health hazard" and young people must be protected:

Social media companies are fueling a mental health crisis, especially for our young people. But we won't let Big Tech endanger our kids. @NYCHealthCommr Vasan is today issuing an advisory officially designating social media as an environmental toxin in New York City. #SOTC2024

ABC News recalled that the news came after the city reported that the mental health of young New Yorkers "has been declining for over a decade." Specifically, a study carried out with data in 2021 claimed that 77% of high school students in New York spent three or more hours a day in front of screens. This doesn't include the amount of time they spend online doing homework.

For this reason, among others, Adams declared that social networks can pose a danger and stated that platforms such as TikTok, YouTube, X, Facebook and Instagram are "fueling a mental health crisis by designing their platforms with addictive and dangerous features":

We're the first major American city to call out the dangers of social media like this. Just as past U.S. @Surgeon_General did with tobacco and guns, we're treating social media like other public health hazards and ensuring that tech companies take responsibility. #SOTC2024
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