METHUEN - Concerned about social media’s effect on young people’s mental health, the city plans new limits for public computers used by children under age 16.
The City Council this month approved a resolution submitted by Mayor D.J. Beauregard to limit access to Facebook, TikTok, and other social media on school and city computers.
“Excessive social media use among children under 16 is often linked to mental health challenges, cyberbullying, negative impacts on academic and social development,” Beauregard said in an interview this week at City Hall.
The resolution, unanimously approved by the nine-member City Council on March 2, is believed to be the first of its kind passed by a local community in the state, Methuen officials said.
The Massachusetts Municipal Association, a trade group representing cities and towns, said it knows of no other community to adopt a similar policy.
Methuen already has a Mental Health Task Force addressing youth issues. The resolution will build upon that work, requiring the city to create tools for parents and kids to manage social media use, study children’s social media habits, and push for change at the state and national level.
City Councilor Ella MacLaren, a recent graduate of Methuen High School, is one of five co-sponsors of the local legislation.
Today’s youth “never knew a time before social media,” said MacLaren, 20, a junior studying political science at Merrimack College.
Methuen’s action comes amid rising global concern about youths and young adult’s use of social media. The World Happiness Report released Thursday cites heavy social media as a key factor in a drop in youth happiness, particularly among teen girls in English-speaking countries.
“I can reflect on my own growing up and see all of the places where comparing myself to other people or being exposed to certain negative content really had an impact on my mental health and still does to this day,” MacLaren said in a phone interview.
Beauregard knows the city can only go so far in restricting access. They can’t control kids’ social media use on personal devices or during non-school hours.
“We can do our best at the local level to try to point people in the right direction,” Beauregard said, “to try to use our platform to be advocates for positive change.”
Councilor Ryan DiZoglio, a teacher in Methuen schools and a co-sponsor of the resolution, said social media poses challenges in the classroom.
“I feel like I am battling the technology where I have students listening to people on TikTok or Instagram more than their textbooks,” DiZoglio said, according to a recording of the March 2 meeting.
The city plans to start community workshops and release a parent toolkit focused on managing children’s social media use, the resolution said. Educational materials will also be distributed in schools and public spaces.
“We need to empower parents and even our youth to have a better understanding of the dangers of social media — the issues that are tied in with mental health and cyberbullying,” Beauregard said.
The resolution also calls for an annual study to track local children’s social media use and its effects on mental health, social development, and academic performance.
Beauregard hopes to partner with student organizations in Methuen schools and nearby colleges to implement the research, he said.
Additionally, the resolution said the city will try to form partnerships with technology companies to implement “age-appropriate” digital safety features in Methuen programs.
The mayor was inspired to take action after he saw countries around the world, including Australia and France, restrict young teens and children from using social media, he said.
As a small city of about 50,000 on the New Hampshire border, Methuen can do very little to regulate social media companies and influence digital habits, Beauregard acknowledged.
But the city can still raise awareness and push for state and federal action, he said.
“This is an opportunity for us ... to establish a model for other municipalities to follow,” Beauregard said.
So far, public reaction to the resolution is positive, MacLaren said.
“Some people might have the feeling that it’s not quite all-encompassing, which they’re correct about.” MacLaren said. “There’s only so much we can do at the city level.”
The city aims to adapt its social media safety program going forward as the council and mayor gather more information and observe what other governments do, the mayor said.
“There’s nothing we can do as a city to unilaterally ban social media for those under 16, even if we wanted to,” MacLaren said.
Instead, the city will provide kids and families with the tools to “feel less alone in this fight,” MacLaren said.
Material from the Associated Press was used in this report.
Chloe Pisani can be reached at chloe.pisani@globe.com.