TRENTON, N.J. — The New Jersey Commission on the Effects of Social Media Usage on Adolescents has released a report outlining ways schools, families, and communities can address issues linked to excessive social media exposure among youth, including cyberbullying, addictive use, sleep disruption, and mental health concerns.
The Commission, created through legislation signed by Gov. Phil Murphy, included parents, students, and representatives of school nurses, school psychologists, principals, superintendents, school boards, the Parent Teacher Association, and child-advocacy organizations.
“This Commission represented an impressive panel of State and national experts that demonstrated thoughtful deliberation on a deeply impactful and ever-evolving issue in our education policy landscape,” said Education Commissioner Kevin Dehmer. “Building off of this work, we must continue to review new research in light of the recommendations presented in this report to address the pressing issue of health and academic impacts of social media use on our students.”
“This report is a roadmap for action. Social media has rewired childhood, and the stakes could not be higher,” said Commission Co-chairs Pearl Gabel and Charles Gelinas. “New Jersey has the opportunity to lead the nation and prove that when it comes to our children, safety and well-being come first.”
The report includes 20 recommendations, such as:
- Encouraging school districts to adopt a bell-to-bell ban on cell phone and social media use in school.
- Urging parents to delay their child’s access to social media, and once granted, to model good behavior, monitor use, and set boundaries.
- Recommending social media companies restrict access for users under 16, provide tools for parents, and improve resources to prevent cyberbullying and exploitation.
- Supporting instruction in digital citizenship and media literacy, promoting resources for healthy use, and urging healthcare providers to screen teens for problematic social media use.
The full report is available on the New Jersey Department of Education’s Student Digital Wellness webpage.
