Brianna Kraemer
Carolina Journal
The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services has advised lawmakers to take action against addictive social media algorithms that officials say are harming youth mental health across the state.
The Child Fatality Task Force released its 2025 annual report this week, offering recommendations on how the governor and the General Assembly can create policies they say will save lives. The report offers 11 recommendations that address a range of issues that threaten child health and safety, including teens spending an average of 3.5 hours per day on social media.
“Frequent social media use may be associated with changes in the developing brain,” the report reads. “Youth who spend more than three hours a day on social media face double the risk of poor mental health.”
According to DHHS, one-quarter of adolescents perceive that they are “moderately” or “severely” addicted to social media. Data shows 78% of 13- to 17-year-olds report check their devices hourly and 46% check almost constantly (compared to 24% in 2018).
Social media use can interfere with sleep, and poor sleep is linked to physical and mental health issues, risky behaviors, poor school performance, and altered brain development. Many experts and national organizations are expressing concern and issuing advisories about the impact of social media on youth mental health.
“Children and adolescents on social media are commonly exposed to extreme, inappropriate, and harmful content, and those who spend more than 3 hours a day on social media face double the risk of poor mental health including experiencing symptoms of depression and anxiety,” stated a US Surgeon General’s Advisory.
House Bill 644 was introduced in 2023 to combat social media addiction. Though it had bipartisan support, it failed to garner substantial action in the House.
Other proposals include more spending to increase the number of school nurses, social workers, counselors, and psychologists. To address firearm safety, the DHHS officials call for recurring funding of $2.16 million for the NC S.A.F.E. Campaign, which educates the public about safe firearm storage. In his previous role as North Carolina’s attorney general, Stein targeted social media platforms multiple times.
In 2024, Stein joined 12 other states in suing TikTok, alleging it was purposely designed to keep children addicted. In October 2023, Stein and more than 40 other bipartisan attorneys sued Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram, alleging a similar claim that the platforms were purposefully designed to be addictive to children.
While the report endorses legislation targeting addictive social media algorithms, officials provide additional recommendations to address youth suicide, promote mental health, and prevent firearm deaths and injuries among children.
The full list of legislative recommendations from the Child Fatality Task Force are:
Raise the legal age for tobacco product sales from 18 to 21 and require licensing for retailers.
Prevent child access to intoxicating cannabis by regulating sales, packaging, and retailer permits.
Increase investment in early child care, including child care subsidies.
Fund more school nurses, social workers, counselors, and psychologists.
Address addictive algorithms in social media that harm children.
Provide $2.16 million for the NC S.A.F.E. firearm safe storage campaign.
Strengthen firearm storage laws to protect minors.
Funding to prevent sleep-related infant deaths.
Fund Medicaid reimbursement for doula services throughout pregnancy and postpartum.
Legislation for Fetal and Infant Mortality Reviews (FIMR).
Update child passenger safety laws to reflect best practices.
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