Former President Barack Obama on Tuesday praised Surgeon General Vivek Murthy for his “wise” move to require social media platforms to include warning labels about risks related to young people’s mental health.
“I’m pleased to see growing support for sensible rules to reduce the harmful effects of social media on children’s mental health,” President Obama said. I have written on social platforms on Tuesday.
Obama’s post included a link to an op-ed by Murthy that appeared in The New York Times on Monday, in which Murthy called for social media platforms to include Surgeon General’s warning labels, similar to those that appear on tobacco and alcohol products.
Murthy wrote in Monday’s article that putting warning labels on tobacco products can raise awareness of potential harms and change users’ behavior.
“It is time for social media platforms to require Surgeon General’s warning labels stating that social media can cause serious harm to adolescent mental health,” he wrote.
President Obama has long advocated for greater awareness and improvement of mental health in the United States. I was asked The White House’s National Mental Health Conference in 2013 sparked national discussion and more openness around the issue, and the administration’s Affordable Care Act made health insurance more affordable and accessible for people with mental health concerns.
“Too many Americans who suffer from mental illness suffer in silence rather than seeking help. [to] “The men and women who don’t hesitate to go to the doctor when they break their arm or have the flu have the same attitude toward their mental health,” Obama said at the 2013 conference.
