To address the growing mental health challenges among today’s youth, the U.S. surgeon general has proposed implementing “tobacco-style” warning labels on social media platforms.

In a recent op-ed published in The New York Times, Surgeon General Vivek Murthy highlighted the risks associated with excessive use of social media by minors. He suggested displaying warning messages on these platforms, alerting users to the potential mental health risks, such as: “This app is linked to significant mental health issues for adolescents.”

He argued that a label should regularly remind parents and adolescents that social media’s safety remains unproven.

Murthy also cited several studies linking social media use to mental health issues like anxiety and depression. Describing the current mental health crisis as urgent, he urged for a surgeon general’s warning label on platforms, similar to those on tobacco products, noting that such labels have been effective in increasing awareness and altering behavior in tobacco studies.

Murthy suggested that implementing a surgeon general’s warning on social media platforms in the U.S. could encourage parents to limit their children’s usage. Recent research indicated that children aged 12 to 15 who spent more than three hours daily on social media were twice as likely to face mental health challenges compared to those who didn’t. Another study from The Digital Wellness Lab’s Pulse Survey revealed that nearly half of young people felt significantly worse about their bodies after using social media.

Despite widespread awareness of social media’s harms, Murthy lamented its continued accessibility, comparing it to other regulated industries like transportation and food safety. He argued that the harms were not solely due to individual choices but also stemmed from inadequate safety measures, transparency, and accountability in technology deployment.

In contrast, the American Psychological Association (APA) emphasized that social media itself is neither inherently beneficial nor harmful, but it warned against problematic use and advocated for the removal of harmful content. The APA recommended monitoring social media use for children under 14 years old.

Murthy called upon public health leaders, educators, school administrators, and parents to collaborate in minimizing young people’s exposure to social media whenever possible.