Surgeon General Vivek Murthy is pushing to require a warning label on social media platforms to warn users that social media is associated with mental health risks for teens.
Murthy in an opinion piece for The New York Times called for a surgeon general warning label to be placed on social media platforms, similar to the warning labels that appear on tobacco and alcohol products. He noted that studies have shown that warning labels on tobacco products can increase awareness and change a user’s behavior.
“It is time to demand a warning label from the surgeon general on social media platforms stating that social media is associated with significant harm to adolescent mental health,” he wrote.
“A warning label from the surgeon general, which requires congressional action, would regularly remind parents and teens that social media has not been proven safe,” he added.
He also wrote that a warning label alone would not make social media platforms safer for young people. He referenced a statement he released last year that warned that social media is contributing to young people’s mental health crisis and advised policymakers, platforms and members of the public to follow his recommendations to make social media more safe for teenagers.
Murthy called for legislation from Congress that would “protect young people from online harassment, abuse and exploitation and from exposure to extreme violence and sexual content.” He also said social media companies should share their data with the public and allow independent security audits.
He also advised schools and parents to create phone-free environments, especially during meals, before bed and at social events. He wrote that parents should wait until their children graduate from high school before allowing them to have social media and suggested they work with other families to create shared rules.
“These damages are not a failure of parental willpower and education; they are the consequence of launching powerful technology without adequate security measures, transparency or accountability,” he wrote.
This story originally appeared on thehill.com read the full story
