In an opinion piece for The New York Times, Murthy called for a surgeon general’s warning label to be placed on social media platforms, similar to those warning labels that appear on tobacco and alcohol products, our colleague Lauren Sforza reported.
Studies have shown that warning labels on tobacco products can increase awareness and change a user’s behavior, Murthy noted.
“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 wrote.
“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 added.
Murthy cautioned that a warning label alone would not make social media platforms safer for young people.
He referenced an advisory he put out last year that warned that social media is contributing to the youth mental crisis and advised policymakers, platforms and members of the public to heed his recommendations to make social media safer for adolescents.
Read more in a full report at TheHill.com.
