With concerns growing over the impact of social media on young people, Governor Phil Murphy today signed legislation to establish a commission to study the effects of social media usage both in and out of school on adolescents. The work of this commission will build on the Governor’s ongoing efforts to address the mental health needs of New Jersey youth.
“Social media use is undoubtedly a significant part of many young people’s lives these days, which is why it is so critical to determine the full scope of its impact on students,” said Governor Murphy. “By establishing this commission, we will better understand how social media use – both in and out of school – is affecting the physical and mental health, safety, and academic performance of students to help mitigate any negative repercussions and protect the well-being of New Jersey’s youth.”
Under the bill (S-715/A-1992), the Commission on the Effects of Social Media Usage on Adolescents will work to determine:
the extent of social media usage both in and out of public schools, including the average amount of time students in various age groups spend each day on electronic devices;
the effects that use has on the emotional health of students, including incidents of depression, anxiety, body dysmorphia, harassment, intimidation/bullying, or other disruptive behaviors;
the effects that use has on the academic performance of students;
and the effects that use has on the physical health of students, including incidents of sleep deprivation, weight loss or gain, or high blood pressure.
The commission will issue a final report detailing its findings, including proposed social media usage standards, effective strategies to mitigate the adverse effects of social media usage on student health and academic performance, and any other recommendations to help improve student health and academic performance in connection with social media usage.
The commission will be comprised of 19 members including the Commissioner of Education, four public members appointed by legislative leaders, and 14 members appointed by the Governor – including a school nurse, an expert on the collection/analysis of data concerning social media, two public school students, two parents of students enrolled in a public school, and representatives from various education, psychology, and child advocacy organizations specified in the bill.
I’m sure it has nothing to do with being forced to do virtual “school”, take an injection, then in school stay 6 ft apart, wear a mask, and now be constantly told girls can be boys, boys can be girls, anything in between and we adults and authorities will help you sterilize yourself and disfigure the body God gave you and when you still don’t feel right, oops, sorry, our bad. NONE of what was just described is love of a child. You wonder why they’re messed up? They don’t know who they are!