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AMERICAN V AM PSY'CN^ OLOGICA Usm wow ASSOCIATION TMEM Now SERVICES,INC. P The internet and the introduction of social media platforms have literally changed our species through new forms of social interaction, new riles for discourse, the rapid spread of information, and concomitant changes in the types of relationships that previously had defined the human race for millennia. This is an extraordinarily high priority area for additional scientific research; however,this work has been woefully underfunded. Currently,federal agencies lack both the direction, expertise, and dedicated funding to adequately research both the positive and negative impacts of online platforms. Tech companies responsible for these platforms employ dozens of researchers focused on designing products and observing how users engage with them. The federal government must match or exceed this commitment to ensure the public has an adequate understanding of how these platforms work and how users, especially children, are using these platforms and their impact. The research that is needed should be longitudinal to allow for long-term follow-up. Research should capture the experience of diverse samples, utilize the benefits of technology to capture objective measures of behavior, include technology (e.g., fMRI) to study biopsychosocial effects, and importantly, should make use of the data available to social media companies to fully understand the effects of social media and protect the common good. This effort must be paired with required increases in transparency and access to data for researchers to further understand online activity. New transparency and reporting requirements should ensure user privacy,while creating new mechanisms for researchers and policymakers to understand how these online spaces operate. Recently, Congress allocated $15M to research on social media and adolescent mental health. This is appreciated, yet barely sufficient to fund more than 3-5 individual studies that would meet the abovementioned specifications. At least$100M in funds will be needed to reflect a serious commitment to this research area across federal agencies. And, as we are on the precipice of a new digital age with artificial intelligence (Al) and machine learning directly impacting us across the lifespan, it is paramount that our country invest in research to protect future generations. 19 APA.ORG APASERVICES.ORG 750 Furst street,NIIE 202.336.5800 Advocating for APA rVteYx tiers and psychology Washington,DC 20002-4242 202.336,6123 TDD