It's Time For Social Networks To Take A Close Look In The Mirror

February 25, 2022

Kiev, Ukraine - October 17, 2012 - A logotype collection of well-known social media brand's printed on paper. Include Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Google Plus, Instagram, Vimeo, Flickr, Myspace, Tumblr, Livejournal, Foursquare and more other logos.

It’s Time for Social Networks to Take a Close Look in the Mirror question

Questions about “It’s Time for Social Networks to Take a Close Look in the Mirror” by Kara Alaimo
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Opinion

Kara Alaimo writes that after Tuesday’s testimonies of YouTube, TikTok, and Snapchat executives before the Senate on the impact of social media on the youth, it’s clear why Congress should ask the tough questions and take further action.

Kara Alaimo, an associate professor of public relations at Hofstra University, is the author of “Pitch, Tweet, or Engage on the Street: How to Practice Global Public Relations and Strategic Communication.” She was a spokeswoman for international affairs in the Treasury Department during the Obama administration. Follow her on Twitter @karaalaimo . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of the author. View more opinions at CNN.

(CNN) Senators grilled executives from Snapchat, TikTok, and YouTube on Tuesday about how their platforms impact young users. Asked how their platforms affect the mental health of teens and even promote eating disorders, the representatives all said they don’t allow such content and instead point users to expert information.

YouTube executive Leslie Miller said, “We …prohibit the type of content that glorifies or promotes these issues such as eating disorders.”

But outside data suggests they’re not fully successful in blocking such posts. The New York Times recently reported that some hashtags about eating disorders have received over 70 million views on social media.

The testimony was the first time representatives of TikTok and Snap, the parent company of Snapchat, have been called before the Senate. But it’s unlikely to be the last, as the tech industry — and in particular, Facebook and Instagram — face escalating scrutiny over their effects on young users. And for good reason. They need to do much more to protect teens’ mental health.

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