SALT LAKE CITY — Utah is launching a public information campaign “unmasking” the threat social media use may pose to teenagers, and Gov. Spencer Cox on Thursday promised more litigation against social media platforms in the future.
Recent academic research and a report from U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy have tied social media use to declines in mental health for teens, and Cox said there is a “causal link” between the two.
“We care about our kids in Utah, and I know that’s true across the nation. This is a huge issue that continues to grow,” the governor said while unveiling the campaign at the state Capitol on Thursday. “This is not a conservative issue, it’s not a liberal issue. It’s an American issue. It’s a parent issue.”
Using $500,000 allocated by the Utah Legislature earlier this year and $750,000 from the Department of Commerce’s fund for education campaigns, the state will air a pair of 30-second television spots now through next spring. The ads feature teens wearing rubber masks to show the “brave faces” many put on to hide the adverse impacts of social media use.
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Written by BRIDGER BEAL-CVETKO, KSL.com.
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