42 States Ask Congress to Require Social Media Warning Labels

Attorneys generals of 42 states have penned a letter to both houses of Congress, asking that lawmakers require social media platforms to include a health warning.

Social media platforms have come under increased scrutiny, especially in the context of protecting minors. Studies have shown that social media can have significant detrimental impacts on the mental health of minors, not to mention potentially exposing them to predatory individuals online. While tobacco, alcohol, and other potentially dangerous products come with warning labels, social media does not.

The attorneys general are calling for such labels, making the case that social media’s impacts on minors warrants the move.

As State Attorneys General, we sometimes disagree about important issues, but all of us share an abiding concern for the safety of the kids in our jurisdictions—and algorithm-driven social media platforms threaten that safety. A growing body of research links young people’s use of those social media platforms to a variety of serious psychological harms, including depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation. Algorithm-driven social media use also interferes with adolescents’ daily life by chronically disrupting their sleep with irresistible algorithmic recommendations, infinite scrolling, and a constant stream of notifications designed to keep kids relentlessly engaged on the platform.

The letter highlights the various actions some states have taken to reign in social media platforms, including lawsuits against Meta and investigations of TikTok. The attorneys general make the case, however, that federal involvement is necessary.

In addition to the states’ historic efforts, this ubiquitous problem requires federal action—and a surgeon general’s warning on social media platforms, though not sufficient to address the full scope of the problem, would be one consequential step toward mitigating the risk of harm to youth. A warning would not only highlight the inherent risks that social media platforms presently pose for young people, but also complement other efforts to spur attention, research, and investment into the oversight of social media platforms. We urge Congress to consider such measures and continue the search for innovative solutions to protect our children in the face of emerging technologies. The Senate’s recent passage of the Kids Online Safety Act and the Children and Teens’ Online Privacy Protection Act demonstrated significant bipartisan commitment to tackling these critical issues.

This problem will not solve itself and the social media platforms have demonstrated an unwillingness to fix the problem on their own. Therefore, we urge Congress to act by requiring warnings on algorithm-driven social media platforms, as recommended by the Surgeon General.

The letter represents the latest escalation in the ongoing debate regarding the role social media should and should not play in the live of children.

States supporting the letter include California, Colorado, Kentucky, Mississippi, New Jersey, New York, Tennessee, Alabama, American Samoa, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, US Virgin Islands, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.