Social media presents higher risk to kids’ health than smoking, drinking: Doctors Manitoba

Manitoba is looking at having a commissioner or regulator enforce its proposed ban on social media and AI chatbots for youth under 16.

A new survey of Manitoba physicians finds an overwhelming majority support a proposed social media ban for children and youth, with many warning excessive screen time and social media pose a significant health risk to young Manitobans.

The findings come from a Doctors Manitoba survey which polled 240 physicians, including family physicians, pediatricians and psychiatrists, between April 3 and May 15.

According to the data, over 90 per cent of respondents support banning social media and AI chatbots for children and youth, while 7.5 per cent oppose the move.

Two-point-one per cent were unsure, Doctors Manitoba said.

“The findings are quite clear - doctors believe social media, screen time and chat bots are among the top risks to children’s health and well-being, ranking higher than even smoking, drinking, injuries, and sedentary lifestyles,” said Doctors Manitoba president Dr. Alon Altman at a news conference Monday.

Common reasons cited by those opposed were skepticism about the province’s ability to ban major apps, a belief that a ban alone is not enough to reduce harm and prepare youth to eventually use social media and concern that bans could face legal, ethical and privacy hurdles.

Others pointed out that social networks with the right guard rails can offer benefits, like reducing social isolation.

Details on youth social media ban taking shape

Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew announced last month he plans to roll out a ban to prevent children from using certain online platforms, similar to legislation that is being implemented in Australia.

While details are still being worked out, Kinew has said the province is looking at having a commissioner or regulator enforce the ban on social media and artificial chat bots for children under 16.

They would work to convince tech companies to adhere to the legislation or risk steep fines, Kinew said.

It is also still unclear how a provincial ban might stop kids from passing themselves off as older or living elsewhere by using tools like virtual private networks or someone else’s information to set up a social media account.

Manitoba’s legislation is expected to take until next year to draft and be brought into the house.

Similarly, federal Culture Minister Marc Miller said last month that Ottawa is seriously considering a national social media ban for children.

Ad restrictions, daily usage caps pitched as alternatives

The majority of physicians polled, nearly 38 per cent, agreed with the province that 16 and under would be an appropriate age for the ban, while 31 per cent felt it should be 17 and under.

While the majority of respondents felt an age-based ban was the preferred policy option to reduce social media’s health risks, there was also high approval, 67 per cent, for a targeted removal of addictive elements of these platforms, while 42 per cent supported stronger content moderation.

Just over 40 per cent of respondents felt ad restrictions for minors could be useful, and 30 per cent believe daily usage caps could also be effective.

“Physicians also noted that, with or without the ban in place, youth need to be prepared for their eventual access to social media and AI platforms with strong education,” Dr. Altman said.

He also noted Doctors Manitoba supports the use of digital tools in educational settings as deemed appropriate by teachers.

“We’re not educators. We’re physicians,” Dr. Altman said.

“With this survey, we wanted to highlight the medical effects, the mental health effects, and the physical effects that doctors are worried about with social media.”

‘We owe it to our kids’

Doctors Manitoba noted over 1,000 U.S. school districts in dozens of states have pursued lawsuits against social media companies.

Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, settled the first of many such lawsuits last week with a small, rural Kentucky school division. The financial terms were not disclosed, but the school district has sought more than $60 million to create a program to counteract mental health and learning issues it says were brought on by social media.

On this side of the border, Manitoba Pediatric Society president Dr. Meghan Cranston said pediatricians see the direct impacts that social media has on development and mental health every day.

“We owe it to our kids to protect them from the online safety risks of social media,” she said in a news release, noting the society supports a possible ban.

The survey and its recommendations, which can be read online, have been shared with the minister of health and premier’s offices, Doctors Manitoba said.

- With files from The Canadian Press and The Associated Press