New York City mayor declares social media an 'environmental toxin'
ABC News
New York City is classifying social media as a "public health hazard," Mayor Eric Adams announced on Wednesday during his State of the City address.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams is classifying social media as a "public health hazard" and an "environmental toxin," saying young people must be protected from "harm" online.
"Today, Dr. Ashwin Vasan is issuing a Health Commissioner’s Advisory, officially designating social media as a public health hazard in New York City," Adams announced during his State of the City address Wednesday.
An advisory from the city said mental health for young New Yorkers "has been declining for over a decade." The advisory said that data from 2021 showed that on weekdays, 77% of New York City high schoolers spent three or more hours per day in front of screens, not including homework.
Adams claimed TikTok, YouTube and Facebook are "fueling a mental health crisis by designing their platforms with addictive and dangerous features."
"We are the first major American city to take this step and call out the danger of social media like this," the mayor said. "Just as the surgeon general did with tobacco and guns, we are treating social media like other public health hazards and ensuring that tech companies take responsibility for their products."
