A psychologist claims that TikTok is causing harm to children on an industrial scale.

TikTok is back online in the U.S. — for now, at least.

The mental health of millions of kids and teens is being negatively impacted, according to Jonathan Haidt, a New York University social psychologist and author of "The Anxious Generation."

TikTok is causing harm to children, adolescents, and young adults at an industrial scale, and Americans should welcome its disappearance, according to a recent blog post by Haidt and his lead researcher, Zach Rausch.

Over the weekend, the social media platform was momentarily inaccessible in the U.S. due to a law passed by Congress that required ByteDance to sell its ownership stake in the app or face a ban. However, President Trump signed an executive order on Monday, postponing the implementation of the ban for 75 days, enabling millions of users to resume using the app.

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According to Haidt and Rausch, TikTok promotes "addictive, compulsive, and problematic use" among its younger users, exposes them to sexual and violent content, and increases levels of anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues. TikTok did not respond to CNBC Make It's request for comment.

Without parental consent, kids and teenagers are likely to join the platform regardless of their parents' approval.

How TikTok changes teenagers' brains

Not banning TikTok would not prevent kids from using other social media platforms, such as Instagram, Snapchat, or RedNote, unless stricter age verification policies are implemented on those apps.

According to a 2023 warning from the U.S. Surgeon General, the constant use of social media and smartphones by teens increases their risk of experiencing anxiety and depression.

According to a 2023 Baylor University study, TikTok is more addictive than its competitors, making it the worst offender, as stated by Haidt and Rausch. In 2022, 63% of Americans aged 13 to 17 used TikTok, with 16% saying they were on the app almost constantly, according to the Pew Research Center.

If TikTok were to shut down, America would be much better off, according to a blog post that cited the company's own internal documentation, which was revealed in a lawsuit brought against the company by 14 state Attorneys General last year.

According to publicly released excerpts, TikTok addiction among young users can lead to negative mental health effects, including a loss of analytical skills, memory formation, contextual thinking, conversational depth, empathy, and increased anxiety.

Rausch states that kids are spending significantly less time interacting with each other in person, which is vital for their social growth.

Make it normal to 'not be on social media all the time'

Instead of waiting for sweeping measures to happen, parents and teachers should try new tactics with their kids, according to Haidt and Rausch, who favor broader bans on social media platforms for all users under the age of 16.

Rausch suggests that encouraging kids to engage in phone-free activities can help them become more aware of their social media usage and make a conscious effort to spend less time on it. This is particularly important for young children who may not yet realize that their social lives primarily take place online.

"Rausch suggests that dealing with the issue is difficult, but by creating new spaces, setting new norms, and making it acceptable to not be on social media constantly, it will create new opportunities and spaces for young people."

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