Surgeon General Wants, Social Media to Include , Warning of Mental Health Risks.<br />On June 17, Surgeon General Vivek Murthy <br />called on Congress to require social media <br />platforms to give users a tobacco-style warning. .<br />On June 17, Surgeon General Vivek Murthy <br />called on Congress to require social media <br />platforms to give users a tobacco-style warning. .<br />NBC reports that Murthy warned that the <br />mental health crisis among young Americans <br />has become an urgent problem, citing social <br />media as "an important contributor.".<br />NBC reports that Murthy warned that the <br />mental health crisis among young Americans <br />has become an urgent problem, citing social <br />media as "an important contributor.".<br />According to Murthy, the warning would include <br />language that alerts users to potential mental health <br />harms associated with using social media.<br />A surgeon general’s <br />warning label, which requires <br />congressional action, would <br />regularly remind parents and <br />adolescents that social media <br />has not been proved safe, Vivek Murthy, U.S. Surgeon General, via NBC.<br />Evidence from tobacco labels <br />shows that surgeon general’s <br />warnings can increase <br />awareness and change behavior, Vivek Murthy, U.S. Surgeon General, via NBC.<br />Murthy reportedly went on to <br />acknowledge that a warning alone has <br />limitations and fails to make social media safe.<br />In an op-ed published in 'The New York Times,' <br />Murthy linked the amount of time spent using <br />social media with an increased risk for children <br />to develop anxiety and depression.<br />In an op-ed published in 'The New York Times,' <br />Murthy linked the amount of time spent using <br />social media with an increased risk for children <br />to develop anxiety and depression.<br />According to the American Psychological Association, <br />teens spend around five hours a day on popular <br />platforms like Instagram, TikTok and YouTube. .<br />In his 'NYT' op-ed, Murthy called on all social media <br />platforms to "proactively enhance and contribute to <br />the mental health and well-being of our children.".<br />One 2019 study found that the number of teens with suicidal thoughts increased 47% between 2008 and <br />2017, a period which also saw social media use soar.
