A Step in the Right Direction: Responding to the Surgeon General's Call for Social Media Warning Labels
On Monday, U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy made a powerful statement advocating for warning labels on social media platforms due to their significant mental health risks for adolescents.
As someone working in this field for the past decade, I was thrilled to see a government official placing social media squarely in the realm of a health concern. I’ve witnessed firsthand how detrimental these platforms and their linked behaviors can be, and I am in complete agreement that progressive action needs to be taken to mitigate their effects.
For years, I've heard from educators and parents alike that we need to teach kids how to use their phones responsibly. I agree, but it is equally essential that:
Kids are mature enough to handle social media before they arrive on the platform
Parents have the support and knowledge to understand the dangers and help their kids navigate this complex issue.
Many parents are already concerned about the impact of social media, but lack the tools or support to manage their children's use effectively. A well-crafted warning label can serve as a wake-up call and provide the impetus for parents to seek out the resources and strategies they need.
“There is no seatbelt for parents to click, no helmet to snap in place, no assurance that trusted experts have investigated and ensured that these platforms are safe for our kids. There are just parents and their children, trying to figure it out on their own, pitted against some of the best product engineers and most well-resourced companies in the world.”
I was sitting in a plane, blissfully without the internet, when the Surgeon General's article was published. By the time I landed, reactions had already been written. Some critics argue that warning labels might not be effective, or cause unnecessary fear. While it's true that the specifics of the message are important and overly simplistic warnings could be counterproductive, we must also recognize that fear-based messaging, when done correctly, can be a powerful tool. We’ve seen its effectiveness in other public health campaigns for smoking cessation and seatbelt use. In the digital era, campaigns like Truth have provided online resources for teens looking to quit vaping. If we take these past campaigns as a benchmark, we can see the key is to pair the warnings with actionable, accessible advice and support for parents and teens.
I wonder if the critics of the Surgeon General's proposal need to grasp the severity of the situation. We cannot wait for perfect solutions while more harm is done. As Jonathan Haidt rightly points out, this requires collective action. We must rally all stakeholders to protect our children and provide the necessary support.
A warning label alone won't solve everything, but it's a crucial first step. The fact that this comes from officials in the U.S. government, the country where so many social media giants and tech startups alike are headquartered, gives me hope that this will pressure companies to examine their strategies and child safety protocols.
I know it will certainly prompt schools and parents to reconsider allowing unrestricted access to social media. The next step is to hold companies accountable and enforce effective age restrictions.
We owe it to our children to act now. As Dr. Murthy says in his opinion piece, “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.” I’d urge any parent, educator, or adult interested in the wellbeing of the kids in their community to read Dr. Murthy’s piece and consider the concerns he raises as both a doctor and a parent.
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–Allison Ochs, social pedagogue/worker, author, mother of three, wife
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