“If you look at the guidelines from the platforms, at age 13 is when kids are technically allowed to use social media,” said U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy. “I personally, based on the data I’ve seen, believe that 13 is too early.”

“Too young for social media” – that’s what health officials are saying for children ages 13 despite it being the standard age requirement for several social media platforms.

“It’s a time, early adolescence, where kids are developing their identity (and) their sense of self,” said Dr. Murthy. “It’s a time where it’s really important for us to be thoughtful about what’s going into (their mind), how they think about their own self worth and their relationships and the skewed, and often distorted environment of social media often does a disservice to many of those children.”

World Renowned Education Psychologist Dr. Michele Borba says when it comes to social media and kids, she strongly recommends that parents air on the side of caution. In a statement, she said research shows a strong correlation between social media use and mental health among adolescents such as depression, eating disorders, anxiety, and suicide – all major concerns for health officials and especially parents.

“I have 2 kids, an 18-year-old and an 8-year-old. My 8-year-old is absolutely not on social media and she won’t be for probably a long time as long as I can probably hold it off,” said Alison Medina, a Coachella Valley parent. “The thing about social media is it’s constantly evolving and so what was appropriate for him is probably not going to be appropriate for my daughter.”

So, when is the “right” age for children to have access to social media?

“I think it definitely depends on the child and their maturity level and the level of involvement with the parents,” said Medina.

Health officials say it’s up to parents to determine if and when their child is ready.

“Do they really care about what others think about them or are they comfortable in their identity? How are they with peer pressure because again social media is kind of opening the world to all of that?” said Ariana Hoet, Pediatric Psychologist for Nationwide Children’s Hospital.

Health officials encourage talking with your child about social media safety.

“You talk about safety, talk about what you’re posting, how to interact with others, who you’re following, and keep checking in with the child,” said Hoet.

And monitor their usage.

“Being ready doesn’t mean I’m going to give them access to this thing and walk away,” said Hoet. “You still want to think about how do I monitor? How do I continue to stay in a partnership with them on how they’re using it.”

Top Health Officials Urge Parents To Keep Kids and Teens Off Social Media Apps