A Warning Label For Social Media Sites? Why the Surgeon General Thinks It’s a Good Idea
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Over a year after issuing an advisory on social media and kids’ mental health, the surgeon general is sounding the alarm once more. This time, it comes in the form of a new New York Times op-ed, in which Dr. Vivek Murthy said social media should come with a warning label — literally.
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Murthy is calling for a surgeon general’s warning label on social media platforms, which would state that the sites are “associated with significant mental health harms for adolescents” and would “regularly remind parents and adolescents that social media has not been proved safe.”
Murthy’s reasoning is simple: recent data shows that such warning labels work. He cites studies showing that the surgeon general’s warning labels on tobacco products “can increase awareness and change behavior,” as well as a recent survey of Latino parents that found that 76 percent of participants would be “more likely to take action with their children, including limiting or monitoring their social media use,” with a warning label on social media sites.
Murthy’s article also serves to emphasize that the mental health crisis among kids and teens has reached “emergency” status. And social media is playing a major role, to the point that he believes these sites should “require” a warning label like the kind used for tobacco products. On this point, the data is clear: social media use can double the risk of anxiety and depression among teens when used more than three hours a day, per studies, and research also shows that it often has a negative effect on teen body image too.
The surgeon general’s call to action is a welcome addition to the discussion of kids’ social media use, says SheKnows Parenting Advisory Council member Ana Homayoun, an educator, academic advisor, and the author of Social Media Wellness: Helping Tweens and Teens Thrive in an Unbalanced Digital World. “I’m glad that the conversations around the harmful effects of social media are being considered so urgent and important now,” Homayoun tells SheKnows. “The Surgeon General’s warning can be seen as an effort to inform tween, teens, and their parents/caregivers of the potential harm that some users have experienced.”
Murthy can’t establish a surgeon general’s warning label on his own — it “requires congressional action,” he says — and he also notes that the label wouldn’t make social media safer. He went on to reference last year’s advisory, which provided “specific recommendations” that would make social media safer for kids. Those measures would focus on preventing online harassment, abuse, and exploitation of kids and teens online, as well as limiting exposure to violent and sexual content, preventing sensitive data collection from kids, and restricting addictive features like notifications and autoplay.
Those measures have yet to be put in place, and anyone familiar with the pace of legislative change knows not to hold their breath on that front. Even threats to the safety of our children are often not enough to spur federal action — just look at the gun safety movement for proof.
That said, Murthy also spotlights actions that parents can take to protect their kids from the worst parts of social media. For parents, he recommends:
Creating “phone-free zones” around bedtime, meals, and social gatherings “to safeguard their kids’ sleep and real-life connections”
Waiting until middle school to let kids on social media
Establishing “shared rules” with other families to support each other and to keep kids on equal ground with friends
Homayoun also has suggestions for parents looking to foster a healthy relationship between their kids and social media. These include:
Know how your kids are spending their time online. Parents and caregivers should be “actively aware of how their kids are spending time online,” Homayoun says. This includes downloading and learning to use the same apps they use and coming from a place of curiosity, asking them questions about what they’re getting up to online without judging. “Teens will be more open about their experiences if parents/caregivers foster an environment of open communication,” she explains.
Tailor rules and practices to your child. While Murthy encourages parents to establish guidelines with other families, Homayoun points out that “what works for one family or one kid within a family may not work for another.” It’s great to join forces if you can, but if not, pay attention to what will actually work for your child. “Some are far more naturally inclined to spend extensive amounts of time online, and it can affect their overall wellbeing,” Homayoun explains. “So, for parents and caregivers, knowing who their kid is and what time, structure, and support they need to make good decisions is key.” Setting some dedicated offline time every day is a good place to start, she adds.
Encourage kids to research the platforms they use. “I’ve long suggested that tweens and teens who want to use a new app or social media platform should have to research about it and write a full page report,” Homayoun says. In the report, they can write about why the app was created, how it uses data, whether it’s had any privacy breaches, and what we know about its effect on mental health. “Then, they should take time to think critically about if their use will support their personal and/or intellectual goals,” Homayoun explains. “I’ve actually had students do this, and the response was overwhelmingly positive.”
For Homayoun, the idea is to help your kids think deeply about where they’re spending their time online, recognizing when it doesn’t serve them or their mental health. It’s another way to drive home how important this issue is, as is the surgeon general’s call for a warning label on social media platforms.
“We have the expertise, resources and tools to make social media safe for our kids,” Murthy wrote, so there’s no excuse not to pull out all the stops, whether it’s at the level of the federal government or your own family. The surgeon general’s warning label would be just one step. It would also, ideally, show parents and leaders just how serious this issue is in order to create real, lasting change on this issue.
Before you go, check out our favorite affordable mental health apps:
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