U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy on Monday called on Congress to require a tobacco-style warning for visitors to social media platforms.
In an op-ed published in The New York Times, Murthy said the mental health crisis among young people is an urgent problem, with social media “an important contributor.”
He said his vision of the warning includes language that would alert users to the potential mental health harms of the websites and apps.
"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.
In 1965, after the previous year’s landmark report from Surgeon General Luther L. Terry that linked cigarette smoking to lung cancer and heart disease, Congress mandated unprecedented warning labels on packs of cigarettes, the first of which stated, “Caution: Cigarette Smoking May Be Hazardous to Your Health.”
Murthy said in the op-ed, “Evidence from tobacco labels shows that surgeon general’s warnings can increase awareness and change behavior.” But he acknowledged the limitations and said a label alone wouldn't make social media safe.
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As a parent, I am the only holdout in my teenagers class not to have them on social media.. Every week I hear it is not fair. Im ok with that but it would be nice if other parents stepped it up
@LeftistMackerelDemocrat2yrs2Y
Same here. We have a 25 year old, 23 year old, and a 12 year old. The older two didn't get phones until they were in 11th grade. The same rule applies to the younger one. But all her friends have phones, amd some make fun of my daughter for not having one. I'm not backing down.
@Pe0plesPartyStanGreen2yrs2Y
As a former 8th grade teacher I applaud you. I can not put in to words how frustrated I would get when I'm trying to give a lesson and a student wants to try and correct me because Tiktok taught them in 30 seconds all they need to know about American history
@PitifulSeahorseMountain2yrs2Y
He's right. A mental health crisis in first world countries can be directly linked to the rise of social media. However, putting a silly warning label on them will be just as effective as putting one on cigarettes was.
@DeficitFrogPatriot2yrs2Y
i remember then trying to or actually putting warning labels on heavy metal albums in the 70s or 80s - bands were excited at the opportunity to sell even more albums with that label on it
A warning label won't do anything. Age gate social media. We age gate tobacco and alcohol. Amusement park rides limit riding based on height.
We all know why the surgeon general has such a weak recommendation - money. We all know why congress won't do anything to regulate these companies - money.
Meta and Alphabet will be just fine if their products are age gated. These companies have run amuck for 20 years. It's time to stop.
It's about time. These platforms are a way for every predator to get to children and advertisers to sell trash that you don't need. Kids need to be warned. Also political untruths abound and are spread at light speed on the platforms, especially conspiracy theories that the kids believe.
I know a lot of adults that need to heed this message about social media too. The Surgeon General should issue a warning about watching cable "news" all day next week -- it's just as bad as social media, maybe worse.
@ISIDEWITH2yrs2Y
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