Surgeon General Vivek Murthy is calling for a mandatory warning label on social media, warning users about the mental health risks for teenagers.
In an opinion article for The New York Times published Monday, Murthy said he wants a surgeon general’s warning on social media platforms similar to the warning labels that appear on tobacco and alcohol products. The tobacco warnings have been shown to “increase awareness and change behavior,” Murthy said.
“The mental health crisis among young people is an emergency — and social media has emerged as an important contributor,” Murthy wrote.
“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,” he said. “A surgeon general’s warning label, which requires congressional action, would regularly remind…
