Beyond Warning Labels:
U.S Surgeon General’s Social Media Alert is Promising, But Falls Short

In a landmark move at the end of May, U.S Surgeon General, Dr. Vivek Murthy, called for placing tobacco-style warning labels on social media platforms to alert users that they can harm children’s mental health.

Murthy described this as a much-needed step to address rising concerns about the adverse effects of social media on mental health and well-being. At Global Child Forum, we applaud this initiative, but we firmly believe that more comprehensive measures are required. Companies must take greater responsibility for the negative consequences of their products and services.

A new era of awareness

The Surgeon General’s warning labels aim to inform users about the potential risks associated with social media use, particularly focusing on mental health. These labels will highlight issues such as anxiety, depression, and the impact of excessive screen time. The intent is to give users the information they need to make informed decisions about their social media consumption.

“One of the most important lessons I learned in medical school, was that in an emergency, you don’t have the luxury to wait for perfect information. You assess the available facts, you use your best judgment, and you act quickly,” Murthy wrote in his essay.

“The mental health crisis among young people is an emergency — and social media has emerged as an important contributor,” he added.

The statistics speak for themselves

The introduction of these labels is backed by a growing body of research that underscores the detrimental effects of social media on mental health, especially among young people.

Although social media offers some benefits, there are numerous indicators that it can also pose significant risks to the mental health and well-being of children and adolescents.

Social media usage among young people is nearly universal, with up to 95% of individuals aged 13-17 reporting they use a social media platform, and more than one-third stating they use social media “almost constantly.”

Adolescents who spend more than three hours a day on social media face double the risk of anxiety and depression symptoms, and the average daily use in this age group, as of the summer of 2023, was 4.8 hours.

In addition, another concerning finding is that nearly half of adolescents advise that social media makes them feel worse about their bodies.

The need for corporate responsibility

While the Surgeon General’s warning labels represent a positive step, they are not a panacea. Social media companies must take more proactive steps to mitigate the negative consequences of their platforms.

Here are just some of the initiatives which could make a significant impact:

• Enhanced content moderation: Companies must invest in robust content moderation systems to detect and remove harmful content more effectively. This includes using advanced AI algorithms and increasing human oversight to handle sensitive issues like cyberbullying and hate speech.
• Prioritised health and safety in design: When designing social media tools and services, companies should integrate principles of developmental psychology and user mental health. Safety and privacy settings should be set to high standards by default, especially for children, and information about these settings should be clear and visible.
• Expanded digital literacy: Educating users, especially young people, about the responsible use of social media is crucial. Companies should partner with educational institutions to create comprehensive digital literacy programmes that teach the importance of online etiquette, privacy, and mental health awareness.
• Increased mental health resources: Social media platforms should provide easy access to mental health resources, including crisis helplines and counseling services. Integrating these resources directly into the platforms can help users who are struggling to get the support they need promptly.
• Improved transparency and accountability: Companies must be transparent about their data collection and usage policies. Regular audits and reports on the impact of social media on mental health can help hold these companies accountable and ensure they are taking meaningful steps to address the issues.

Moving forward

The U.S Surgeon General’s initiative to introduce warning labels on social media is an important step towards acknowledging and addressing the mental health challenges posed by these platforms. However, it is only the beginning.

At Global Child Forum, we call on companies to go beyond warning labels and implement comprehensive measures to protect their users, particularly the most vulnerable among them.

To be clear, the U.S Surgeon General also acknowledged that a warning label would not, on its own, make social media safe for young people. Last year he issued an Advisory* about social media and young people’s mental health, including specific recommendations for policymakers, platforms, and the public to make social media safer for children.

By acting upon these conclusions and taking greater responsibility for the negative consequences of their products and services, social media companies can create a safer and more supportive online environment for everyone. The health and well-being of millions depends on it.