US health authority demands warning labels for social networks

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The Surgeon General of the United States has called for warning labels on social networks similar to those on cigarette packets. They should regularly inform young users and their parents of the potential damage to mental health associated with the use of these platforms.

Accordingly, the Surgeon General, Vice Admiral Dr. Vivek Murthy, comments in a guest article in the New York Times (NYT). This is not the first time that he has issued an urgent warning about the consequences of the common, intensive use of social networks. Just over a year ago, his agency, together with other health authorities, published a 25-page cautionary report on the subject.

The US Surgeon General is a senior official in the United States Public Health Service (PHS) and reports directly to the Deputy Secretary of Health and Human Services. Appointments are made by the US President for four-year terms before confirmation by the Senate.

Threat to mental health

In the report "Social Media and Youth Mental Health", which was published by the PHS in 2023, the Surgeon General addresses the challenges of intensive use of social networks by young people. Although, according to the report, there may be some benefits for teenagers - for example, for the development of social relationships – Dr. Murthy outlined the increasingly negative effects on young people's health.

His cautious conclusion at the time: "We do not yet have enough evidence to determine whether social networks are sufficiently safe for children and adolescents". He referred to many indicators "that suggest that they can seriously jeopardize the mental health and well-being of our youth". The report was based on dozens of studies; nevertheless, it called on the scientific community to establish the effects on the mental health of young people as a research focus.

The studies available at the time assumed around 3.5 hours of social network use per day by 13 to 17-year-olds (2021 figures). According to Murthy, adolescents who spend this much time on social networks would double their risk of anxiety and depression symptoms. In addition, almost half of young people said that using these online services made them feel worse.

Many hours a day

Meanwhile, the average daily use in this age group has increased to around 4.8 hours a day (summer 2023). This has the Surgeon General sounding the alarm again, louder than ever.

"One of the most important lessons I learned in medical school is that in an emergency, you don't have the luxury of waiting for perfect information," Murthy writes in his guest editorial in the NYT. "You assess the available facts, you use your best judgment, and you act quickly."

His suggestions for urgent action include continuing to educate and advise on risks, as outlined in his 2023 advice report. After all, who knows that the intensive use of social networks is associated with changes in the still-developing adolescent brain, particularly in the amygdala (an area that is important for emotional learning and behavior) and the prefrontal cortex (an area that regulates impulse control, emotions and social behavior). In addition, according to the physician, excessive use of social networks is associated with sleep and attention problems as well as feelings of exclusion.

Bans on features and content

That is why the Surgeon General is now urging the US Congress to introduce warning labels for relevant platforms that regularly warn parents and young users of the potential damage to mental health. The proposed warnings, which are similar to those already in place for tobacco and alcohol products, are intended to raise awareness and encourage users to change their behavior.

In addition to the warnings, Murthy calls for legislation to protect young people from online harassment, abuse, exploitation and extreme violence as well as sexual content because this happens too often in algorithm-driven feeds. He also recommends banning platforms from collecting children's data and restricting features such as push notifications, autoplaying videos and infinite scrolling. These things would "take advantage of developing brains and contribute to overuse."

In addition, the Surgeon General demands that operators must be obliged to "share all their data on health effects with independent scientists and the public - which they currently do not do - and allow independent safety testing." Vivek Murthy emphasizes: "The platforms may claim they are making their products safer, but Americans need more than words. We need proof."

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