Surgeon General Wants, Social Media to Include , Warning of Mental Health Risks.
On June 17, Surgeon General Vivek Murthy
called on Congress to require social media
platforms to give users a tobacco-style warning. .
On June 17, Surgeon General Vivek Murthy
called on Congress to require social media
platforms to give users a tobacco-style warning. .
NBC reports that Murthy warned that the
mental health crisis among young Americans
has become an urgent problem, citing social
media as "an important contributor.".
NBC reports that Murthy warned that the
mental health crisis among young Americans
has become an urgent problem, citing social
media as "an important contributor.".
According to Murthy, the warning would include
language that alerts users to potential mental health
harms associated with using social media.
A surgeon general’s
warning label, which requires
congressional action, would
regularly remind parents and
adolescents that social media
has not been proved safe, Vivek Murthy, U.S. Surgeon General, via NBC.
Evidence from tobacco labels
shows that surgeon general’s
warnings can increase
awareness and change behavior, Vivek Murthy, U.S. Surgeon General, via NBC.
Murthy reportedly went on to
acknowledge that a warning alone has
limitations and fails to make social media safe.
In an op-ed published in 'The New York Times,'
Murthy linked the amount of time spent using
social media with an increased risk for children
to develop anxiety and depression.
In an op-ed published in 'The New York Times,'
Murthy linked the amount of time spent using
social media with an increased risk for children
to develop anxiety and depression.
According to the American Psychological Association,
teens spend around five hours a day on popular
platforms like Instagram, TikTok and YouTube. .
In his 'NYT' op-ed, Murthy called on all social media
platforms to "proactively enhance and contribute to
the mental health and well-being of our children.".
One 2019 study found that the number of teens with suicidal thoughts increased 47% between 2008 and
2017, a period which also saw social media use soar.
