Attorney General John M. Formella announces that starting today the New Hampshire Department of Justice is actively working to solicit feedback from families here in the Granite State as part of a national investigation into the impacts of social media: AG Investigation: Social Media Impact on Young People | NH Department of Justice.
“New Hampshire’s children are the future of our state and our nation, and we are making every effort to ensure necessary steps are taken to prevent harm by these platforms,” said Governor Chris Sununu. “New Hampshire will look at all necessary options to protect our children.”
“We want to hear from people who have loved ones, particularly young people, who have been negatively affected by social media,” said Attorney General Formella. “Extensive social media use has been tied to profound risks of harm in youth. Indeed, there has been an increased focus on the correlation between the development of serious mental health disorders by minors and time spent on social media.”
If you have witnessed or experienced negative impacts from social media use on the mental health of a young person, you are encouraged to share your name, contact information, age of the person impacted, a brief summary of what you have seen, and the social media platform(s) involved to the following email address: SMPImpact@doj.nh.gov.
The New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office has been investigating this crucial issue for two years now, looking into the business practices of social media platforms, and engaging with educators, health care experts, municipalities, and our fellow Attorneys General across the United States.
“My office is now considering how it can best protect New Hampshire’s youth from the harm these platforms cause and promote,” said Attorney General Formella. “Eliminating the harmful effects of social media on New Hampshire’s youth and holding social media platforms accountable for their actions is a top priority for me.”
The Attorney General Office’s investigation is just one part of a multifaceted effort by the State to respond to the impacts of social media on New Hampshire’s youth. Earlier this month Governor Sununu signed an Executive Order calling on the Departments of Education and Health and Human Services to create guidelines for a curriculum to be included in all K-12 health education courses across the State on the dangers of social media.