A little over a year after U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy put out a “call for urgent action” to keep kids safe from the “harms” social media can cause them, he’s again advocating for action.
In an op-ed appearing in The New York Times, Murthy now declares he wants a surgeon general’s warning on socials, much in the same way one appears on cigarettes.
“One of the most important lessons I learned in medical school was that in an emergency, you … assess the available facts, you use your best judgment, and you act quickly,” Murthy begins.
He adds, “The mental health crisis among young people is an emergency — and social media has emerged as an important contributor.”
To that end, Murthy declares, “It is time to require a surgeon general’s warning label on social media platforms, stating that social media is associated with significant mental health harms for adolescents.”
America’s top-ranking doctor continues, “Adolescents who spend more than three hours a day on social media face double the risk of anxiety and depression symptoms.” This vulnerable demographic on average spends 4.8 hours online.
“Additionally, nearly half of adolescents say social media makes them feel worse about their bodies,” he says.
“A surgeon general’s warning label, which requires congressional action, would regularly remind parents and adolescents that social media has not been proved safe,” Murthy explains.
Murthy adds, “Evidence from tobacco studies show that warning labels can increase awareness and change behavior.”
He does, however, allow, “a warning label would not, on its own, make social media safe for young people.” Instead, he notes his guidelines from 2023, which “included specific recommendations for policymakers, platforms and the public to make social media safer for kids” be deployed.
“While the platforms claim they are making their products safer, Americans need more than words. We need proof,” Murthy concludes.