Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders is taking on the youth mental health crisis, aiming to empower parents to hold Big Tech companies accountable for their alleged role in the problem. Sanders plans to address this issue at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, alongside "The Anxious Generation" author Jonathan Haidt, discussing the impact of smartphones and social media on young people.
In Davos, she will also participate in a bipartisan discussion with Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear, focusing on state priorities and the role of state governments during presidential transitions.
Governor Sanders emphasizes the importance of protecting children. She attributes the rise in anxiety, depression, and suicide among teens to unrestricted access to phones and social media. To address this, she plans to empower parents and hold Big Tech responsible.
One initiative she highlighted is a phone-free school pilot program, offering state funding for schools to implement phone pouches during school hours. She also intends to update the state's Social Media Safety Act.
Sanders believes that addressing modern threats requires modern solutions, especially when it comes to children. She cited alarming statistics: teen suicide rates tripling, self-harm among girls rising by almost 200%, and teen depression increasing by 150% in the past decade. She shared the story of a mother whose son tragically took his own life after increased social media consumption, emphasizing the need for parents to have legal recourse against Big Tech companies.
Haidt, who will be joining Sanders at Davos, has noted the stark contrast between past generations' concerns about television and the current generation's struggles with social media, highlighting the sudden decline in mental health observed around 2012-2013.
