Social media platforms should have health warnings for teens, says U.S. surgeon general

Social media platforms should display warning labels, similar to those currently used on cigarette packets, for teenagers who increasingly suffer from mental health problems partly linked to the apps, it said on Monday US Surgeon General Vivek Murthy in an opinion piece published in the New York Times. Times.

“It is time to require a Surgeon General warning label on social media platforms, stating that social media is associated with significant harm to adolescent mental health,” Murthy wrote.

The measure would be similar to warnings printed on cigarette packets, which Murthy said “increase awareness and change behavior.” However, adding warning labels to social media platforms would require Congress to pass a law, he noted.

Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Murthy has previously highlighted the potential harm teens experience on social media platforms, pushing last year to stricter guidelines for children and adolescents amid growing research indicating the apps pose what he described at the time as a “profound risk” to young people's mental health. On Monday, Murthy stressed that warning labels alone would not make platforms safe for children and said creating safety measures “remains the priority.”

Congress must also implement legislation that will protect young people from harassment, abuse and exploitation online and from exposure to extreme violence and sexual content, he wrote.

“These measures should prevent platforms from collecting sensitive data about children and should restrict the use of features such as push notifications, autoplay and infinite scrolling, which attack brain development and contribute to increased usage. excessive,” Murthy said.

The surgeon general also recommends that companies be required to share all of their health effects data with independent scientists and the public — which they currently do not do — and allow independent safety audits.

Murthy said schools and parents also need to be involved in providing phone-free time and that doctors, nurses and other clinicians should help guide families toward safer practices.

—With reporting from the Associated Press.