Former Surgeon General: Social Media 'New Cigarettes'

0:00It's March 30th. Welcome in. This is Dallas News Today, where local news meets AI. Former Surgeon General Jerome Adams is calling out social media platforms like they're the new cigarettes designed to hook kids just like tobacco. Companies did back in the day. He says these apps fuel anxiety, depression, poor sleep, mental health struggles, and even obesity and teens. And we need tough regulations now. This comes right after big court wins against big tech. A California jury just ruled meta, behind Facebook and Instagram, and YouTube liable for harming young users' mental health by hiding the risks. According to plaintiff, $3 million in compensatory damages, and another $3 million in punitive ones. Meanwhile, a New Mexico jury hit meta with a $375 million penalty for thousands of violations of the state's consumer. Protection laws tied to child exploitation on their platforms. Adams points to Surgeon General Vivek Murthy's 2023 report, urging immediate action from tech companies and lawmakers to shield kids.

1:06From addictive apps and toxic content on spots like Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat. Both companies plan to appeal, but Adams cheers Australia's ban on social media for anyone under 16 and pushes US states to follow suit. Especially by keeping phones and apps out of classrooms to curb this string time crisis hitting our youth.