Social Media Should Have Labels Similar To Tobacco Products, Surgeon General Says—Noting ‘Significant Harm’ For Teens

Surgeon General Vivek Murthy called Monday for Congress to pass legislation mandating social media platforms feature a warning about the harm they pose to teens’ mental health, after the nation’s highest health official raised the alarm last year about the impact of social media on young people.

In an op-ed for The New York Times, Murthy said a Surgeon General’s warning label should be required on social media platforms, “stating that social media is associated with significant mental health harms for adolescents.”

The label would be similar to those required for tobacco products, which warn of the health impacts associated with smoking and using products with nicotine.