Premier Peter Malinauskas’s social media ban boosted by United States Surgeon General Dr Vivek Murthy

SA’s push to ban children aged under 14 from social media has been bolstered by the United States’ top doctor in a meeting with Premier Peter Malinauskas.

Premier Peter Malinauskas’s push to ban children aged under 14 from social media has been bolstered by the United States’ top doctor, who urged government action to tackle “a medical emergency among young people”.

US Surgeon General Dr Vivek Murthy met with Mr Malinauskas in the White House compound on Wednesday, SA time, telling him of a heightened need to regulate social media platforms such as Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, Snapchat, Instagram and X.

Dr Murthy, also a Vice Admiral, issued an alert in May last year about the effects of social media on young people, saying there were “ample indicators that social media can also pose a risk of harm to the mental health and wellbeing of children and adolescents”.

Premier Peter Malinauskas meets about social media with United States Surgeon General Dr Vivek Murthy. The meeting took place in the Eisenhower Executive Building, part of the White House compound, next to the West Wing. Picture: Supplied

Mr Malinauskas told The Advertiser the Surgeon General had urged governments to act and endorsed South Australia’s move to ban children under 14 from holding social media accounts and for parental consent to be given for children aged 14 and 15.

“He (Dr Murthy) was essentially saying, governments don’t have time to waste because this is now creating almost a mental health emergency among young people,” Mr Malinauskas told The Advertiser, speaking from Washington, D.C.

“We were discussing today about how the body of evidence around the impacts of social media on young people’s mental health is only growing.

“And as we get more data and more research is undertaken, it only elevates the need to respond and start to regulate social media platforms, clearly around young people.”

The Advertiser on May 11 revealed Mr Malinauskas had appointed Robert French, former Chief Justice of the High Court, to examine the feasibility of a state government-imposed social media ban.

Premier Peter Malinauskas meets with United States Surgeon General Dr Vivek Murthy. Picture: Supplied

Mr Malinauskas said Dr Murthy told him that research showed young people were more open to the idea of giving up social media than commonly believed, saying they were prepared to ditch the platforms if their friends did too.

“He said: ‘Don’t assume that all young people are opposed to these types of changes. Often they are on social media, because everyone else is and they know that’s where they have to be to be able to engage with one another’,” Mr Malinauskas said.

“But if everyone is not doing it, then that changed the dynamic, he said, because he said young people want to learn interpersonal skills. They do enjoy each other’s company.”

Florida has introduced a law banning under-14s from social media platforms, coming into effect from January 1 next year. This also requires platforms to delete all existing accounts held by under 14s, which Mr Malinauskas has said would be considered in SA.

Originally published as Premier Peter Malinauskas’s social media ban boosted by United States Surgeon General Dr Vivek Murthy