United States Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy has warned repeatedly about social media's negative influence on American children and adolescents for a long time and now he is demanding that Congress add a warning label to social media networks for young people, similar to those placed on cigarettes and alcohol. His request to Congress is the latest and most urgent step that has been taken to battle the American mental health crisis.
"The mental health crisis among young people is an emergency - and social media has emerged as an important contributor," Murthy wrote in an opinion article in the New York Times on Monday. "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."
Murthy quoted several studies, including the American Psychological Association's study, which found that adolescents spend nearly five hours a day on social media. In a 2019 study, the association found that young adults with suicidal thoughts or other suicide-related outcomes increased 47% from 2008 to 2017, when social media use among that age group soared. "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.
The first time congressional action was taken in a similar case was in 1965 when Congress approved placing warning labels on cigarettes that read "Caution: Cigarette Smoking May Be Hazardous to Your Health." In his oped in the New York Times, Murthy wrote that "Evidence from tobacco labels shows that surgeon general’s warnings can increase awareness and change behavior."
Despite the disparaging polarity in Congress, bipartisan suspicion of social media may lead to approval of the surgeon general's request as both parties have been concerned about American use of social media. During a congressional hearing about social media, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg apologized to families whose children committed suicide due to online bullying and harassment.
Over the years, Murthy has raised several concerns about the long-term effects of irresponsible social media use. "For too many children, social media use is compromising their sleep and valuable in-person time with family and friends," he said in a statement in 2023. At a conference about the youth mental health crisis in May, Murthy said, "It’s no longer the culture for people to talk to each other anymore."
However, he has been careful to say that research on the matter isn’t conclusive, with the correlation between time spent on social media and negative mental health effects not establishing cause and effect. "More research is needed to fully understand the impact of social media," he said, acknowledging that social media can help teenagers find community, connection, and a platform for self-expression.