US Surgeon General Calls For Social Media Warning Labels

In an op-ed for The New York Times, US Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy is calling for warning labels for social media to address the mental health crisis among young people.

Social media is recognized as a major factor in mental health issues for young people, with platforms receiving their share of criticism for intentionally developing their algorithms in way that promote addictive behavior. Dr. Murthy outlines the dangers in his op-ed:

The mental health crisis among young people is an emergency — and social media has emerged as an important contributor. Adolescents who spend more than three hours a day on social media face double the risk of anxiety and depression symptoms, and the average daily use in this age group, as of the summer of 2023, was 4.8 hours. Additionally, nearly half of adolescents say social media makes them feel worse about their bodies.

Dr. Murthy goes on to say that it’s time for social media platforms to have the same kind of warning labels as other harmful products:

It is time to require a surgeon general’s warning label on social media platforms, stating that social media is associated with significant mental health harms for adolescents. A surgeon general’s warning label, which requires congressional action, would regularly remind parents and adolescents that social media has not been proved safe. Evidence from tobacco studies show that warning labels can increase awareness and change behavior. When asked if a warning from the surgeon general would prompt them to limit or monitor their children’s social media use, 76 percent of people in one recent survey of Latino parents said yes.

Dr. Murthy says a warning label will not magically made social media safe for young people, but it will help provide adequate warning so parents and young people can make more informed choices. Dr. Murthy also calls on Congress to enact measures to better protect young people online, both from bullying as well as from data collection by the platforms they’re using:

Legislation from Congress should shield young people from online harassment, abuse and exploitation and from exposure to extreme violence and sexual content that too often appears in algorithm-driven feeds. The measures should prevent platforms from collecting sensitive data from children and should restrict the use of features like push notifications, autoplay and infinite scroll, which prey on developing brains and contribute to excessive use.

Dr. Murthy’s op-ed is the latest example demonstration the growing concern among officials about the impact social media has on young people.