The US Surgeon General is urging Congress to issue warning labels, similar to those on cigarette packs, about social media platforms and their impact on young people.
“It is time for social media platforms to require Surgeon General labels warning that social media poses significant harm to adolescent mental health,” said U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Harregele-Murthy. Opinion articles for The New York Times.
“The Surgeon General’s warning labels, which would require Congressional action, would regularly remind parents and adolescents that social media has not been proven safe,” Murthy added.
The surgeon general noted that putting warning labels on social media platforms would not make them safer for young people, but it could change user behavior.
“Evidence from tobacco research shows that warning labels can raise awareness and change behavior,” Murthy said.
In particular, issuing cigarette-like warning labels on social media platforms would mean Congress would have to act.
“The measures should prevent platforms from collecting sensitive data from children and limit the use of features like push notifications, autoplay and infinite scrolling that prey on developing brains and lead to excessive use,” Murthy wrote.
The Surgeon General also questioned why society is failing to address the harmful effects of social media on young people.
“The moral test of any society is how well it protects its children,” Murthy argued. “We have the expertise, resources and tools to make social media safe for children. Now is the time to muster the will to act. Children’s well-being is at stake.”
Notably, social media use is widespread among young people: According to a 2022 Pew Research Center survey, up to 95% of 13- to 17-year-olds say they use a social media platform, and more than a third admit to using social media “almost always.” found.
“Social media today is like cigarettes decades ago, with a business model based on getting kids addicted,” said Josh Golin, executive director of Fair Play, a group that works to end marketing to children. report From the Associated Press.
“And just like with tobacco, the Surgeon General’s warning labels are an important step in reducing the threat to children,” Gorin added.
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