New York City Is First To Declare Social Media An Environmental Toxin, While Multitude Of Other Problems There Still Not Taken Care Of

The Big Apple — New York City to the layperson — has its fair share of problems, and while many of them still need to be taken care of, the city's brass are still working hard... I'm sorry, I meant "hardly working." Because while the city is running out of places to keep migrants and people are getting mugged on public transportation, the city made it a priority to declare social media an environmental toxin.

Yes. That's right, Facebook and X have joined the likes of DDT and mycotoxins.

According to Axios, the New York City's Department of Health and Mental Hygiene issued an advisory to parents regarding the hazardous effects uninhibited social media use can have on youngsters.

They encouraged parents to hold off on giving kids smartphones and social media access until they're 14 years old. Furthermore, they asked politicians at both the state and federal levels to do something about "predatory practices by social media companies."

"We won't let Big Tech endanger our kids," NYC Mayor Eric Adams said.

NYC's Proclamation About Social Media Being An Environmental Toxin Is A Whole Lot Of Nothing

I can get on board with that bit about "predatory practices by social media companies." However, doesn't this feel like the kind of thing you do to make it seem like you're getting work done when you're not? Like they realized they didn't have much to show for their work this year. Then they panicked and threw this together in a rush,

Everyone knows that social media can be very harmful. It's supposed to be a tool. It wasn't intended as a way for kids to bully each other outside of school hours and without having to leave the house. Parents know this. The ones who let their kids run rampant on it are either completely oblivious or simply unaware.

But rolling out this big declaration about the dangers of it — even making this grandiose announcement of it being an "environmental toxin" — seems like a waste of time. It's like rolling out more campaigns about the dangers of smoking.

Thank you, but we're all well aware.

How about the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene focus on some more pressing issues? Ones that not everyone can handle on their own. Maybe help out the mentally ill who are living on the streets and committing crimes? Perhaps we do something about the throngs of antisemitic protestors hitting the city's streets?

Meh. Social media bad.

Follow on X: @Matt_Reigle