Federal Social Media Research Act

Subjects: Health, Child health, Congressional oversight, Government studies and investigations, Internet, web applications, social media, Mental health

Summary:  <p><b>Federal Social Media Research Act</b></p> <p>This bill provides funding for a short-term study and a long-term study on the physical and mental health effects of using social media technologies on users who are under the age of 18. It also authorizes the Government Accountability Office to conduct the studies, including in partnership with any other federal agency.</p> <p>The bill specifies that the aim of the studies is to assess the relationship between patterns of social media use and suicide, anxiety, depression, and other medical conditions.</p>

<html><body><pre>[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 410 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

&lt;DOC&gt;






118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 410

  To authorize a Federal report and longitudinal study regarding the 
             effects of social media on users under age 18.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           February 14, 2023

  Mr. Hawley introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
  referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To authorize a Federal report and longitudinal study regarding the 
             effects of social media on users under age 18.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Federal Social Media Research Act''.

SEC. 2. SHORT-TERM STUDY.

    (a) Study.--The Comptroller General of the United States, in 
partnership with any other Federal agency the Comptroller General may 
designate, shall study the impact of social media technologies on the 
mental and physical health of social media users under age 18, with 
particular attention to assessing current circumstances and expected 
trends. Such study shall aim to assess in particular any relationship 
between social media use patterns and the following medical conditions:
            (1) Suicidality.
            (2) Anxiety.
            (3) Depression.
            (4) Eating disorders.
            (5) Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
            (6) Gender dysphoria.
    (b) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of 
this Act, the Comptroller General shall submit a report to Congress on 
the study required under subsection (a).
    (c) Appropriations.--Out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise 
appropriated, there is appropriated to the Comptroller General, for 
fiscal year 2023, $1,000,000, to remain available until expended, to 
carry out the study described in this section.

SEC. 3. LONGITUDINAL STUDY.

    (a) Study.--The Comptroller General of the United States, in 
partnership with any other Federal agency the Comptroller General may 
designate, shall study the impact of social media technologies on the 
mental and physical health of a cohort of social media users initially 
drawn from the population of such users under age 18, with particular 
attention to the long-term effects of social media technology use on 
the health of such users. Such study shall aim to assess in particular 
any relationship between social media use patterns and the medical 
conditions listed in section 2(a).
    (b) Report.--Not later than 10 years after the date of enactment of 
this Act, the Comptroller General shall submit a report to Congress on 
the study required under subsection (a).
    (c) Appropriations.--Out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise 
appropriated, there is appropriated to the Comptroller General, for 
fiscal year 2023, $20,000,000, to remain available until expended, to 
carry out the study described in this section.
                                 &lt;all&gt;
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