On Monday, U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy advocated for the addition of a warning label to social media apps, highlighting the harm these platforms have inflicted on young people, particularly adolescents. In an op-ed for the New York Times, Murthy emphasized that while a warning label alone won't make social media safe for youth, it can raise awareness and influence behavior, similar to the impact of tobacco warnings.

Implementing such a label would require legislation from Congress.

Youth advocates and legislators have consistently criticized social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat for their detrimental effects on children, including reduced attention spans, negative body image promotion, and increased vulnerability to online bullying and predators.

Murthy stated, "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."

Requests for comments from TikTok, Snap (SNAP.N), and Meta Platforms (META.O), the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, went unanswered. In January, the CEOs of these companies, along with those of social media platform X and messaging app Discord, faced intense scrutiny from U.S. senators over online child safety.

During this hearing, Republican Senator Lindsey Graham accused the leaders of failing to protect young users from sexual predators, stating they had "blood on your hands."

Several U.S. states are pursuing legislation to protect children from social media's harmful effects, such as anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues.

Recently, New York state legislators passed a law preventing social media platforms from showing "addictive" algorithmic content to users under 18 without parental consent. In March, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed a bill prohibiting children under 14 from using social media and requiring parental consent for 14- and 15-year-olds.