US Surgeon General Vivek Murthy says social media should come with warning labels about potential health effects, similar to warnings about smoking and other tobacco products. In an op-ed in The New York TimesMurthy says social media is a “significant contributor” to the teen mental health crisis.
“It’s time to demand a surgeon’s warning label on social media platforms that states that social media is associated with significant mental health harms for teenagers,” Murthy said. “A warning label that calls for congressional action by a surgeon regularly reminds parents and teens that social media has not been proven safe.”
It’s not the first time Murthy has faced mental health issues surrounding social media. It was published last year is recommended made similar arguments last year, saying social media poses a “profound risk” to teenagers’ mental health. In his recent article, Murthy cited a study that showed greater use of social media was linked to a problem increased risk for anxiety and depression, as well as a request where nearly half of teens said “social media makes them feel worse about their bodies.”
As Murthy points out, warning labels cannot happen without the cooperation of Congress. And it’s unclear what kind of support he might have for such a measure, though lawmakers around the country have shown some support for such things. age verification laws as they see it break on social media companies regarding teen safety issues.
He also notes that warning labels alone won’t make social media safer, but they will help better inform parents, schools, doctors and others. “There’s no seat belt for parents to click, no helmet to put on, no assurance that trusted professionals have researched and ensured these platforms are safe for our kids,” he said. “It’s just parents and their kids trying to figure it out on their own, fighting against the best product engineers and the best-resourced companies in the world.”
