U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, MD, is calling for health warnings on social media for adolescents.
In a New York Times opinion essay published June 17, Dr. Murthy argued that warning labels on social media platforms, indicating that social media is associated with significant mental health risks for youths, would be beneficial.
"A surgeon general's warning label, which requires congressional action, would regularly remind parents and adolescents that social media has not been proved safe," he wrote.
Dr. Murthy cited various studies and surveys in his essay, including tobacco studies that show warning labels can increase awareness and change behavior, and a study published in JAMA Psychiatry showing that adolescents who spend more than three hours a day on social media might be at greater risk for mental health issues.
He also argued that the harms of social media "are no less urgent or widespread than those posed by unsafe cars, planes or food."
"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," he wrote.
Dr. Murthy has weighed in on this issue during his time as surgeon general, issuing an advisory in 2023 on social media and mental health.
NetChoice, which represents some social media companies, shared a statement with USA Today saying that parents should be responsible for protecting their children's mental health, rather than the government or tech businesses.
There is currently no legislation in Congress related to a surgeon's general warning label for social media, according to the Times.