Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez quits Facebook, says social media is a health risk
The congresswoman is advocating for digital well-being.
- She received the Renau Writing Scholarship in 2016 from the University of Louisville's communication department.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is taking a firm stance on Facebook and other social media.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said she's quit Facebook even though the social media site was an important tool for her 2018 campaign.
In an hour-long interview on Yahoo News podcast Skullduggery, the 29-year-old New York Democrat said social media poses a public health risk to everybody.
"I personally gave up Facebook, which was kind of a big deal because I started my campaign on Facebook. And Facebook was my primary digital organizing tool for a very long time. I gave up on it. We still sort of have accounts on it," Ocasio-Cortez told hosts Michael Isikoff and Daniel Klaidman in the podcast published Monday.
Ocasio-Cortez said while screen time is particularly dangerous for children under three years of age, older people see negative effects like escapism and addiction. The congresswoman said she's tried to establish social media rules for herself and set time limits on her Twitter and Instagram.
"Like every once in a while, you'll see me hop on Twitter on the weekends, but for the most part ... when it comes to consumption and reading, I take the weekends off," she said.
Ocasio-Cortez joined the podcast to talk about the 2020 presidential candidates, how her term is going, President Donald Trump, Game of Thrones and more.
Ocasio-Cortez's office didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.
