Child fatality task force makes recommendations to combat social media addiction
DRUG ANALYSIS LAB. SO
CONGRATULATIONS TO HIM.
MICHELLE, THANKS. A STATE
COMMITTEE TASKED WITH CUTTING
DOWN ON CHILD DEATHS IN NORTH
CAROLINA, FOCUSED ON AN EYE
OPENING TOPIC TODAY. SOCIAL
MEDIA.
>> WRAL, STATE GOVERNMENT
REPORTER WILL DOOR UNCOVERED
2 DAYS. CHILD FATALITY TASK
FORCE HEARING WILL. WHAT'S THE
CONNECTION HERE BETWEEN
CHILDHOOD DEATHS IN SOCIAL
MEDIA?
>> WELL, RENEE, IN THE LAST
DECADE, NEARLY 500 CHILDREN IN
NORTH CAROLINA HAVE TAKEN THEIR
OWN LIVES. AND THAT'S AN
AVERAGE OF ONE SUICIDE EVERY
SINGLE WEEK. NOW, OBVIOUSLY
SOCIAL MEDIA ISN'T A FACTOR IN
EVERY SUICIDE, BUT THE EXPERTS
THAT WE HEARD FROM TODAY, I
BELIEVE THE MORE KIDS ARE
GETTING ADDICTED TO SOCIAL
MEDIA AND THAT THAT IS HAVING
DEADLY CONSEQUENCES. IT'S NOT
JUST CYBER-BULLYING GOSSIP.
THEY SAY IT'S ALSO THE
ALGORITHMS THAT THE COMPANIES
USED TO PUSH CERTAIN THINGS TO
KIDS AND CRITICS FEEL THOSE
ALGORITHMS FUEL EATING
DISORDERS, ANXIETY AND OTHER
MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES SO WELL,
IS THERE ANYTHING THE STATE IS
DOING TO FIGHT THIS? YES, ONE
NORTH CAROLINA HAS ALREADY
FILED SOME LAWSUITS AGAINST
SOCIAL MEDIA COMPANIES LIKE
TIKTOK META, WHICH OWNS
FACEBOOK AND INSTAGRAM AND THE
COMPANIES HAVE DENIED THE
CLAIMS THAT THE STATE IS
BRINGING AGAINST THEM, BUT ALSO
ADVOCATES ARE HAPPY ABOUT A NEW
LAW THAT GOVERNOR JOSH STEIN
HAS SIGNED INTO LAW THIS SUMMER
TO BAN CELL PHONES IN SCHOOLS.
IT SHOULD HELP WITH ACADEMICS,
OF COURSE. BUT THE HOPE IS ALSO
IT WILL CUT DOWN ON THE AMOUNT
OF TIME KIDS SPEND ON SOCIAL
MEDIA. SO WHAT'S NEXT? IS THIS
TASK FORCE MAKING MORE
RECOMMENDATIONS
FOR CHANGE?
>> YEAH, RENEE, THE CHILD
FATALITY TASK FORCE THAT WE
HAVE HERE, NORTH CAROLINA.
IT MAKES PLENTY OF
RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE STATE
LEGISLATURE FOR THINGS LIKE.
>> NEW LAWS, NEW SPENDING ON
SCHOOL, PSYCHOLOGISTS TO CUT
DOWN ON SIDE IS THEIR GOAL.
HOWEVER, THEY NOTED TODAY THAT
THE LEGISLATURE ACTUALLY HASN'T
ACTED ON ANY OF ITS REQUESTS IN
THE CURRENT LEGISLATIVE
SESSION. NOW, PART OF THAT IS
BECAUSE OF THE LEGISLATURE'S
FAILURE TO PASS A NEW STATE
BUDGET. BUT IT ALSO GOES BACK
TO LOBBYING EFFORTS BY SOCIAL
MEDIA COMPANIES TO BLOCK SOME
OF THE PROPOSED LEGISLATION
LIKE STRONGER RULES FOR KEEPING
YOUNG PEOPLE OFF OF SOCIAL
MEDIA.
>> CERTAINLY A BIG CONCERN FOR
FAMILIES, CHILDREN, LOTS OF
MOVING PIECES TO WATCH BETWEEN
THOSE LAWSUITS AND WHETHER THE
STATE LEGISLATURE MIGHT ALSO
TAKE ACTION. WILL. THANK YOU
FOR YOUR PERSPECTIVE AND GIVING
US AN UPDATE ON THAT MORE OF
THESE COVERAGE ON THIS HEAD