The U.S. Surgeon General urged the placement of warning labels on social media apps. He emphasized the potential mental health risks, especially for teenagers and their parents.
Surgeon General Dr. Vivek H. Murthy emphasized the urgent need for warning labels in his New York Times opinion column. He portrayed the matter as a pressing concern demanding immediate attention and intervention.
“The mental health crisis among young people is an emergency — and social media has emerged as an important contributor,” Murthy wrote. “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.”
Murthy proposed adding a “surgeon general’s warning” label to social media apps, akin to those on alcohol and tobacco products. These labels would outline the associated risks to users’ mental health.
Although Murthy heads the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, he does not have the authority to require companies to adopt such warnings. Such a requirement must be passed by Congress.
In his column, Murthy highlighted the effectiveness of warning labels in increasing awareness and influencing behavior, drawing parallels to tobacco studies. He emphasized that such labels would remind parents and adolescents about the potential risks of social media use.
By advocating for transparency and responsible usage, the surgeon general seeks to mitigate the negative effects of social media on vulnerable populations, fostering a healthier online environment for all users.
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