Preventing the Harms of Social Media

There is no denying that the current generation of tweens and teens lives in a media-saturated world, and that their media use increased precipitously during the pandemic.¹ As educators, we are more than just witnesses to an emerging trend; we are first responders, forced to reckon with the consequences of this new reality and its profound impact on our young people.

As president of New York State United Teachers (NYSUT), I’ve talked to countless educators who believe that social media is making a giant hole in their students’ lives. Even as tech companies claim the purpose of their platforms is to keep students connected, our members report that their students seem to be more disconnected than ever—from one another, from their families, and even from themselves.²

Teens and tweens, who are more prone than adults to problematic social media use, are being served up an endless array of toxic and addictive content, and their endless scrolling is taking time away from sleep, studies, hobbies, and in-person engagement.³ As a result, today’s students are confronting high levels of sadness, hopelessness, and suicidal ideation.⁴ Social media and digital spaces are also giving anonymous predators and bullies unprecedented access to our children,⁵ but anguished parents tell us the laws seem designed to protect the platforms that harbor these aggressors.⁶

As a first step in mitigating the harms of social media, former US Surgeon General Vivek Murthy issued an advisory in 2023.⁷ Then in 2024, he went further, saying that social media platforms should be required to display a surgeon general’s warning “stating that social media is associated with significant mental health harms for adolescents.”⁸

Compelled by the growing list of harms and stories of loss, our members united behind legislation to protect New York’s students from social media’s pernicious effects. In October 2023, NYSUT joined Governor Kathy Hochul and New York Attorney General Letitia James to announce new legislation aimed at protecting our children from some of social media’s most predatory features.⁹

The Stop Addictive Feeds Exploitation (SAFE) for Kids Act protects kids by banning social media platforms from offering addictive feeds to anyone under the age of 18 without parental consent,¹⁰ and the New York Child Data Protection Act prohibits online platforms from collecting, using, sharing, or selling personal data of anyone under 18 without informed consent and anyone under 13 without parental consent.¹¹ To enhance enforcement, both bills allow the New York attorney general to seek damages or civil penalties for any violations.

Our lobbying and advocacy paid off. The bills were signed into law in June 2024.¹²

The bills were an important first step in curbing the power these platforms have over kids, but we aren’t done. We are determined to make sure our schools are places where both students and educators are thriving.

In school hallways, cellphones are almost as ubiquitous as backpacks, and educators across the country are saying it’s a problem.¹³ Those of us who are in schools every day see that the constant use of personal electronics—not just phones, but earbuds, watches, and other distractions—is impacting our students’ ability to focus, connect with their fellow students, be present in reality, and engage in authentic learning.

In September 2024, NYSUT hosted “Disconnected,” a conference to explore the impact that cellphones, social media, and technology are having on schools and learning. During the conference, policymakers, healthcare clinicians, and law enforcement described the perils of being overconnected to devices.¹⁴

It’s not just that devices are detrimental to academics; these devices also get in the way of face-to-face communication, depriving kids of vital opportunities to create community and develop a genuine sense of belonging. Instead, students live in their own bubbles where they are inundated with toxic content, are vulnerable to cyberbullying and exploitation, and hold themselves to unrealistic standards.

After the summit, based on mountains of data as well as real stories of harm inflicted by cellphones and social media, NYSUT’s Board of Directors passed a resolution calling for a statewide policy restricting personal devices for the length of the school day.¹⁵

New York educators have long favored a statewide policy restricting cellphone use. A recent NYSUT survey found that 85 percent of NYSUT members supported restricting the use of cellphones and smart devices for the entire school day, provided there were approved exceptions for health or instructional purposes.

NYSUT’s new resolution supports a statewide policy that conforms to those principles, with restrictions on devices from opening to dismissal, and with necessary exceptions allowed for students’ health and well-being. Additionally, the resolution specifies that any cellphone plan should be designed locally, with input from families, educators, unions, and other stakeholders.

But what of school safety? We can’t have phone-free schools, some parents and guardians say, because we need to be able to reach our kids during a crisis. As a mother, I understand this belief, but on behalf of educators and law enforcement, I tell them they’re getting it wrong. Phones are threats to students’ learning and well-being during a normal school day—and may be exponentially more dangerous during an emergency.

There are a few critical reasons why phones may make students less safe at school.¹⁶ If there is a shooting or crisis in the building, students need to be completely focused. They need to pay attention to instructions, get the correct information, and stay aware of their surroundings. With phones in their hands, students have a hard time doing any of those things.

Instead of listening to their teachers, they will be tempted to contact their family and friends. Rather than hearing accurate information from school leaders and safety personnel, students will see rumors and misinformation spreading on social media and messaging apps. They might even take action that will make them, and their peers, less safe.

Worst of all, phones can make kids easier to find by someone who intends them harm. When students are trying to hide from a shooter in the building, a phone can make noise and emit light, giving away their location and making them a target.

In January 2025, Governor Hochul called for statewide standards on student cellphone use during the school day. The proposed legislation, which Hochul said was the result of countless conversations with educators and families, calls for “bell to bell” cellphone restrictions.¹⁷ NYSUT members made their voices heard when it came to getting the two social media bills passed in 2024, and we are prepared to do what it takes to get school cellphone legislation passed too.

NYSUT will always advocate for what is best for kids and our school communities, and that means restricting these devices to prioritize students’ mental and physical health. It means protecting our students from online predators and exploitation. It means promoting distraction-free learning environments and creating more opportunities for positive interactions with peers and educators.

Importantly, we have heard nothing but positive feedback from members who work at schools where limits have been set and responsibly enforced. They say restricting cellphones and related devices improved the climate of their schools, promoted student engagement, and reduced stress and anxiety. They described transformed environments, where students’ heads are lifted, their hands raised in greeting, ready to meet the day.¹⁸

That’s the vision we have for all New York students.

Melinda Person is the president of New York State United Teachers. A former sixth-grade teacher, she has also worked for the New York State Assembly and the New York State Division of the Budget.

Endnotes

1. V. Rideout et al., The Common Sense Census: Media Use by Tweens and Teens, 2021 (San Francisco: Common Sense, 2022), 3, commonsensemedia.org/sites/default/files/research/report/8-18-census-integrated-report-final-web_0.pdf; and J. Rothwell, “Teens Spend Average of 4.8 Hours on Social Media Per Day,” Gallup News, October 13, 2023, news.gallup.com/poll/512576/teens-spend-average-hours-social-media-per-day.aspx.

2. M. Belmont, “Disconnected: Social Media, Cellphones Take Toll on Kids’ Mental Health—Educators Are Fighting Back,” NYSUT United, March 27, 2024, nysut.org/news/2024/march/disconnected.

3. J. Rothwell, How Parenting and Self-Control Mediate the Link Between Social Media Use and Youth Mental Health (Charlottesville, VA: Institute for Family Studies, October 11, 2023), 7, ifstudies.org/ifs-admin/resources/briefs/ifs-gallup-parentingsocialmediascreentime-october2023-1.pdf; and D. de Visé, “Teens Are Spending Less Time Than Ever with Friends,” The Hill, June 7, 2023, thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/4037619-teens-are-spending-less-time-than-ever-with-friends.

4. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Youth Risk Behavior Survey Data Summary & Trends Report: 2013–2023 (Washington, DC: US Department of Health and Human Services, 2024), 56, cdc.gov/yrbs/dstr/index.html.

5. Belmont, “Disconnected”; Beau Biden Foundation, “How Do Predators Find Children Online?,” beaubidenfoundation.org/onlinepredatorsblog1; and E. Vogels, Teens and Cyberbullying 2022 (Washington, DC: Pew Research Center, December 15, 2022), pewresearch.org/internet/2022/12/15/teens-and-cyberbullying-2022.

6. Letter from B. Guffey et al. to Senator Chuck Schumer, February 8, 2024, https://static1.squarespace.com/static/65a56885a72f1c4f2b4f53ef/t/65c3bd9929a3425943069b3f/1707326873887/Senate+Letter+Action.pdf.

7.Social Media and Youth Mental Health: The U.S. Surgeon General’s Advisory (Washington, DC: US Department of Health and Human Services, May 23, 2023), 4, hhs.gov/sites/default/files/sg-youth-mental-health-social-media-advisory.pdf.

8. V. Murthy, “Surgeon General: Why I’m Calling for a Warning Label on Social Media Platforms,” New York Times, June 17, 2024, nytimes.com/2024/06/17/opinion/social-media-health-warning.html.

9. New York State United Teachers, “NYSUT Fights to Protect Children from Online Dangers,” October 11, 2023, nysut.org/news/2023/october/online-safety.

10. New York Senate Bill 7694A, 2023–2024, nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2023/S7694/amendment/A.

11. New York Senate Bill 7695A, 2023–2024, nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2023/S7695/amendment/A.

12. E. Helmore, “New York Passes Law Protecting Kids from Addictive Social Media Content,” The Guardian, June 8, 2024, theguardian.com/us-news/article/2024/jun/08/new-york-social-media-privacy-children.

13. L. Lin, K. Parker, and J. Horowitz, What’s It Like to Be a Teacher in America Today? (Washington, DC: Pew Research Center, April 4, 2024), 31, pewresearch.org/social-trends/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/04/ST_24.04.04_teacher-survey_report.pdf.

14. New York State United Teachers, “Disconnected: A Convening Exploring the Impact of Cellphones, Social Media and Technology on Children, Schools and Learning,” September 2024, nysut.org/news/events/disconnected-conference.

15. New York State United Teachers, “NYSUT Calls for Bell-to-Bell Restrictions on Cellphones, Personal Devices in Schools,” September 24, 2024, nysut.org/news/2024/september/media-release-disconnected.

16. M. Person and C. Apple, “Commentary: Phone-Free Schools Protect Kids During Emergencies,” Times Union, October 30, 2024, timesunion.com/opinion/article/commentary-phone-free-schools-protect-kids-19862244.php.

17. Office of Governor Kathy Hochul, “Governor Hochul Unveils Plan to Restrict Smartphone Use in Schools Statewide and Ensure Distraction-Free Learning in New York,” New York State, January 22, 2025, governor.ny.gov/news/governor-hochul-unveils-plan-restrict-smartphone-use-schools-statewide-and-ensure-distraction.

18. M. Belmont, “Districts Fight Back Against Technology Distractions,” NYSUT United, September/October 2024, united.nysut.org/issue/september-october-2024/districts-fight-back-against-technology-distractions.

[Photos by El-Wise Noisette, courtesy of NYSUT]