Starting the new year with legislation that prohibits anyone younger than 18 from having a social media account would benefit our youths. In Texas, that could become a reality. A state representative there has proposed legislation that would ban minors from having social media profiles. While it certainly will be met with some criticism, there is enough data to support this legislation.

Consider the rising number of youths suffering from depression and anxiety. From 2005 to 2015, depression increased from 8.7 percent to 12.7 percent for those 12 to 17 years old, data from the National Survey on Drug Abuse reveals. Depression is a mental illness that is often overlooked or not treated.

We often say, “They are just being teenagers,” when we see teens exhibit symptoms such as a change in appetite and appearance or demonstrate defiant behavior.

A steady increase in adolescents experiencing anxiety also was reported about the same time: From 2007 to 2012, there was a 20 percent rise in cases of anxiety. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, from 2016 to 2019 nearly 6 million children were diagnosed with anxiety. The pandemic certainly exacerbated these numbers after 2019.

When you examine the sizable increases in depression and anxiety and compare it with the growth of social media accounts from the early 2000s to the present, it’s difficult to overlook the connection. The social media site MySpace started the trend in 2003, arguably the most influential platform during that time. In 2004, Facebook grew substantially and went public in 2012. By 2013, the number of Facebook users worldwide totaled more than 1 billion.

Twitter and Instagram came along in 2006 and 2010, respectively. Then the ever so popular Snapchat was released in 2011. Its users’ average age ranges from 15 to 25 years old.

Easily more than half of 11-year-olds own cellphones in the US. Unsurprisingly, social media platforms are a fixture on the phones of many preteens and teens. Overindulgence in these sites comes with a price. Being bombarded with “likes” and “dislikes,” our youths confront daily the problem of having their self-worth and self-esteem dictated by others.

The story doesn’t stop there. Arguments and simple disagreements on social media can escalate into violent altercations that spill over into schools and communities. Shootings in and around schools have been connected to disagreements that originated on social media.

Local leaders in Atlanta, for example, stated in November that they believe social media and youth violence are related. Philadelphia police also have reported connecting acts of violence with social media disputes. And reports have circulated for years about social media fueling Chicago violence in combination with gangs and drugs. These are just a few examples.

A problem clearly exists. State Rep. Jared Patterson of Texas, the author of the proposed legislation, outlined the problem in a profound fashion. He said that algorithms are designed to hook our kids on social media platforms and recommends that only with proof of age from a driver’s license should someone be able to create a social media account.

Many across the country would welcome this type of legislation. Perhaps it would go a long way in stemming the violence in schools and communities. Bouts of depression and anxiety may be alleviated to levels that are more manageable for our youth.

Others may scoff at this approach and say that it is too drastic. After all, how can social media be taken away from our youths now? It is interwoven into their daily lives, and the status quo should not be changed.

And there lies the problem: We have allowed our youths to determine what is good or bad for them. We adults should realize that our youths need us to make sound and informed decisions for them. Social media content is having far-reaching consequences hindering the quality of life for far too many youths.

Is it possible for other elected officials to follow this lead across the country? Is federal legislation possible? It will be interesting to see how House Bill 896 fairs in Texas.

Hopefully, 2023 will be a year in which violence will no longer be the leading cause of death for Black males up to 19 years of age, and the second leading cause of death for Hispanics. Perhaps suicide will no longer be the second leading cause of death for youths 10 to 14. And, hopefully, the increase in youths experiencing depression and anxiety will decrease.

Unfortunately, hoping the data will get better is not enough. What steps will legislators, along with the rest of us, take to help our youths in 2023?

Jerald McNair

Jerald McNair is a school administrator at South Holland School District 151 in Illinois. He wrote this for the Chicago Tribune. -- Ed.

(Tribune Content Agency)