Surgeon General Demands Warning Labels on Social Media to Protect Youth

Dr. Vivek Murthy, the US Surgeon General, urges Congress to mandate warning labels on social media platforms to highlight their negative impact on adolescent mental health. Murthy suggests legislation to curb online harassment and abuse, aligning social media regulations with existing children’s products safety standards.

Dr. Vivek Murthy, the US Surgeon General, has made a compelling case for Congress to introduce warning labels on social media platforms, akin to those on cigarette boxes. He argues that social media significantly harms adolescent mental health and that legislative action is essential to address this issue.

In an opinion piece for The New York Times, Murthy highlighted the growing mental health crisis among young people, exacerbated by social media. He stated that a formal warning label would serve as a constant reminder for parents and adolescents that social media's safety is unproven.

Additional measures are necessary, Murthy noted, including protecting young people from online harassment and restricting harmful features like push notifications. He also emphasized the need for social media companies to share health-related data with independent scientists and the public, advocating for comprehensive legislative changes to ensure youth safety.

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