Usage social media children and adolescents can cause serious harm their mental health US chief medical officer warns.

In a new report published on Tuesday, Dr. Vivek Murthy urges tech companies, politicians and parents to take “immediate action to protect children”. He argues that in the absence of reliable independent research, it is impossible to know if social media is safe for children and teenagers.

The study found that 35% of Gen Z respondents spend more than two hours on social media each day.

“We don’t have enough evidence to conclude whether social media is really safe enough for our kids. And that’s really important for parents to know,” Murthy told the Associated Press.

A 25-page report compiled as part of the Surgeon General’s investigation states that 95% of Americans aged 13 to 17 use a social media platform. and more than a third say they do it “all the time.”

The report shows that existing controls on children’s access are not enough. While most sites require a minimum age of 13, almost 40% of children aged 8 to 12 are regular users.

The chief medical officer’s warning came as the White House released its own statement Tuesday about what it called “an unprecedented youth mental health crisis.” The number of children and adolescents suffering from depression and anxiety has increased by almost 30% in recent years, with social media being an obvious factor.

This sentiment adds to a growing number of calls to action on teens and social media as experts explore the role they can play in the ongoing teen mental health crisis. Earlier this month, the American Psychological Association released its first social media guide, advising parents to closely monitor their teens’ use of it.

In his presentation, Dr. Murthy expressed an urgent need for clarity on various lines of research. “Our children unknowingly became participants in a multi-year experiment,” he wrote. “It is vital that independent researchers and technology companies work together to quickly better understand the impact of social media on children and teens.”

According to AP, The Guardian