The United States Surgeon General, Dr. Vivek Murthy, has called for warning labels on social media platforms to inform parents about the potential mental health risks to teenagers.
He announced this initiative on Monday, stating the need for these warnings, similar to those on tobacco and alcohol products.
However, Dr. Murthy cannot implement this requirement alone; it needs Congress’s approval, and no related legislation has been proposed yet.
In an essay for The New York Times, Dr. Murthy explained that social media’s impact on young people’s mental health is a serious public health issue, comparable to dangers like road accidents or contaminated food.
He questioned why society has not addressed social media’s harms as urgently as other public safety threats.
Dr. Murthy cited research showing that teenagers who spend more than three hours a day on social media are at a much higher risk of mental health problems.
Additionally, 46 per cent of adolescents reported that social media made them feel worse about their bodies.
He argued that these issues are not due to poor parenting, but the direct result of releasing powerful technology without proper safety measures, transparency, or accountability.
“Why is it that we have failed to respond to the harms of social media when they 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,” Dr. Murthy wrote.
By advocating for warning labels, Dr. Murthy aims to alert parents that social media has not been proven safe for teenagers, hoping this will prompt more informed usage and protective measures.