Former U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy expressed serious concerns about social media’s effects on young people during a recent appearance on Meet the Press. Dr. Murthy highlighted how platforms are negatively impacting youth self-esteem and disrupting meaningful connections between young adults.
During the interview, Murthy drew attention to mounting evidence suggesting social media usage correlates with declining mental health indicators among teenagers and young adults. His comments come amid growing national debate about the responsibility of tech companies in safeguarding younger users.
Mental Health Concerns
Dr. Murthy pointed to research showing links between heavy social media use and increased rates of anxiety, depression, and poor self-image among young people. He explained that constant exposure to curated, idealized versions of peers’ lives creates unrealistic standards and harmful comparison cycles.
“What we’re seeing is young people measuring their worth based on likes and comments,” Murthy stated during the interview. “This creates a distorted sense of self that follows them offline.”
The former Surgeon General noted that adolescents are particularly vulnerable to these effects as their brains are still developing. He emphasized that teenage years represent a critical period for identity formation and emotional growth.
Deteriorating Social Connections
Beyond self-esteem issues, Murthy expressed alarm about how digital interactions are replacing face-to-face communication. He argued that while social platforms promise connection, they often deliver the opposite result.
“Young people report feeling more isolated despite being more ‘connected’ than ever,” Murthy said. “The quality of relationships suffers when they primarily exist through screens.”
The health expert described how meaningful human connections require elements that social media often lacks: eye contact, physical presence, and unfiltered conversations. These components build empathy and emotional intelligence that digital interactions cannot fully replicate.
Potential Solutions
During the Meet the Press interview, Murthy outlined several approaches to address these challenges:
- Age-appropriate design standards for platforms targeting young users
- Greater transparency from tech companies about their algorithms and data practices
- More research funding to understand long-term effects of social media use
- Digital literacy programs in schools
Murthy stressed that parents also play a crucial role by modeling healthy technology habits and creating tech-free spaces in the home. He recommended regular family discussions about responsible social media use.
“We need to teach young people that their value isn’t determined by their online presence,” he stated.
Industry Responsibility
The former Surgeon General called on social media companies to take greater responsibility for their platforms’ impacts. He suggested that profit motives often conflict with user wellbeing, particularly for younger audiences.
“These companies have unprecedented access to young minds. With that access comes responsibility that many aren’t living up to,” Murthy said during the interview.
He advocated for design changes that would limit features known to be addictive, such as infinite scrolling and notification systems that trigger dopamine responses. Murthy also supported stronger age verification systems to enforce minimum age requirements.
The interview highlights growing concerns among health professionals about technology’s role in youth development. As social media continues to evolve, Murthy’s warnings suggest that protecting young users’ mental health may require both regulatory action and industry reform.
With teen mental health statistics showing troubling trends, Murthy’s comments add a prominent voice to calls for a more balanced approach to technology use among young people. His medical background lends weight to concerns that many parents, educators, and policymakers have expressed in recent years.
