(NewsNation) — Attorney generals from 42 states support a call by the U.S. Surgeon General that requires a warning label on social media platforms amid concerns of a mental health crisis among teenagers.
U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy wrote in a New York Times opinion piece in June saying that the time had come for a warning label to be placed on social media that states that the platforms are associated with significant mental health harms for adolescents. The label would regularly remind parents and teens that social media “has not been proved safe,” Murthy wrote in the piece.
Such a warning label would require congressional action, the attorney general said. Murthy also cited that warning labels placed on tobacco products can increase awareness and change behaviors among users.
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In their letter addressed to Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, the 42 attorney generals called for immediate action. They said although a warning label would not fully address the scope of the problem, it would be one “consequential step” toward mitigating the risk of harm to young people.
The letter also said the issue would not solve itself and that social media platforms have “demonstrated an unwillingness to fix the problem on their own.”
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“As State Attorneys General, we sometimes disagree about important issues, but all of us share an abiding concern for the safety of the kids in our jurisdictions — and algorithm-driven social media platforms threaten that safety,” the letter said. “A growing body of research links young people’s use of those social media platforms to a variety of serious psychological harms, including depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation.”
The letter states social media interaction also chronically disrupts teenagers’ sleeping patterns with algorithmic recommendations, infinite scrolling, and a constant stream of notifications.
The letter comes after 45 attorneys general previously filed suit against Meta, the owner of Facebook and Instagram, which alleged that the company deployed harmful and manipulative product features that are designed to push engagement with the platform to dangerous levels.
The attorney generals also wrote that they are currently looking into similar claims against TikTok.
“A warning would not only highlight the inherent risks that social media platforms presently pose for young people, but also complement other efforts to spur attention, research, and investment into the oversight of social media platforms,” the attorneys general wrote. “We urge Congress to consider such measures and continue the search for innovative solutions to protect our children in the face of emerging technologies.”
