Social media, self-harm, and suicide: we should be promoting research informed decision making about how and what to regulate

Numerous summaries of the findings of the Molly Russell inquest conclude that the case is now made for direct action on regulation of social media.123 But there has been little discussion about what, specifically, such regulation might entail or the challenges of implementation.Tech companies are likely to resist major regulatory interventions, but an additional dilemma is that much of the content under consideration (about depression, self-harm, and suicidal thinking) is seen as helpful by those who use social media—valued for its 24/7 availability and anonymity and for the supportive nature of sharing and viewing user generated content.4 The challenge, therefore, is to eliminate the negative effects of social media without blocking access to its helpful elements.A central issue is social media algorithms that increase duration and intensity of exposure in ways that can be opaque to users.5 Neither in government statements nor elsewhere are there specific suggestions about what limits…
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