Researchers at Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard University revealed Wednesday that social media giants made nearly $11 billion in advertising revenue from U.S.-based users younger than 18 last year. 'As concerns about youth mental health grow, more and more policymakers are trying to introduce legislation to curtail social media platform practices that may drive depression, anxiety, and disordered eating in young people,' said senior author Dr.
Bryn Austin, a professor and founding director of the Strategic Training Initiative for the Prevention of Eating Disorders. 'Although social media platforms may claim that they can self-regulate their practices to reduce the harms to young people, they have yet to do so,' she continued, 'and our study suggests they have overwhelming financial incentives to continue to delay taking meaningful steps to protect children