US Surgeon General Vivek Murthy has called for warning labels on social media to fight the “mental health crisis” in a similar fashion to the warning on tobacco products.
Murthy published an opinion piece on the topic in the New York Times on June 17, 2024, and detailed his reasons behind wanting the warning.
Largely based around mental health concerns with adolescents, the US Surgeon General says social media has a massive impact on nearly all of its users.
Murthy said: “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.”
Social media has become an important contributor to our #YouthMentalHealth crisis. We are in the middle of an emergency, and it’s essential that Congress act with speed and urgency. The health and well-being of our kids is at stake. Read more: https://t.co/AR0VOfcjoF 2/2
— Dr. Vivek Murthy, U.S. Surgeon General (@Surgeon_General) June 17, 2024
Tobacco products feature several different warnings from the surgeon general, including “Quitting Smoking Now Greatly Reduces Serious Risks to Your Health” and “Smoking Causes Lung Cancer, Heart Disease, Emphysema, and May Complicate Pregnancy.”
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Murthy did a few tests to see how effective the tobacco labels are, and found that the surgeon general’s warnings can “increase awareness and change behavior.”
He wrote: “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.”
Vivek is calling on the US Congress to authorize warnings on social media, as he’ll need their approval before anything can be added.
The US Surgeon General isn’t the only member of the government looking to make social media better for children. Back in March, Florida Governor Ron Desantis signed a bill banning kids under 14-years-old from accessing social media in the state, and will force platforms to delete their accounts if they exist.