APA issues recommendations for youth use of social media

The American Psychological Association (APA) has issued a report with ten recommendations for adolescents’ use of social media. While these platforms can facilitate healthy socialisation, their use should be preceded by social media literacy training to maximise the likelihood of balanced, safe and meaningful experiences. The report suggests that age-appropriate use of social media should be based on the maturity of the individual youth. Other recommendations in the report include

• Adapt the use, functionality and permissions of social media to the developmental abilities of young people.
• For younger children, balanced with young people’s likely need for privacy, adults should monitor social media use. As children get older and gain more digital literacy skills, their autonomy can gradually increase.
• Minimising young people’s exposure to social media content that promotes illegal or psychologically harmful conduct, discrimination, prejudice, hatred or bullying.
• Monitor young people for signs of problematic use of social media and limit the use of social media so that it does not interfere with young people’s sleep or physical activity. Restrict teenagers from using social media primarily to promote beauty or appearance.

The report calls for a significant investment in research funding and for access to a wider range of data, including data provided by technology companies.