This week, Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy, in an op-ed for the New York Times, called on Congress to require a surgeon general’s warning label on social media platforms to protect America’s youth.
This is not the first time Murthy has warned against the dangers of social media. He issued an advisory last year about the risks of social media, which included several recommendations to policymakers, technology companies, parents and caregivers, children and adolescents, and researchers.
The call for a warning label aims to serve as a reminder to parents and adolescents that social media is not a safe place, noted Murthy in the op-ed, adding that his recommendations issued in last year’s advisory remain a priority.
“One of the worst things for a parent is to know your children are in danger yet be unable to do anything about it. That is how parents tell me they feel when it comes to social media—helpless and alone in the face of toxic content and hidden harms,” he wrote.
“There is no seatbelt for parents to click, no helmet to snap in place, no assurance that trusted experts have investigated and ensured that these platforms are safe for our kids. There are just parents and their children, trying to figure it out on their own, pitted against some of the best product engineers and most well-resourced companies in the world.”
Referencing evidence from tobacco studies, Murthy said warning labels have been found to increase awareness and change behavior.
He also referenced research on the mental health crisis among American youth, citing the following:
- Adolescents who spend more than three hours a day on social media face double the risk of anxiety and depression symptoms
- The average daily use among adolescents as of summer of 2023 was 4.8 hours
- Nearly half of adolescents say social media makes them feel worse about their bodies
“These harms are not a failure of willpower and parenting; they are the consequence of unleashing powerful technology without adequate safety measures, transparency or accountability,” Murthy wrote.