Smoking is bad for one’s health, a point noted on warning labels on every tobacco product sold in America. Many other products have warnings on the potential health hazards, and soon social media platforms could be forced to add a disclaimer as well.
In an op-ed for The New York Times on Monday, Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy called for a warning to parents about the hazards of social media to younger users.
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“It is time to require a surgeon general’s warning label on social media platforms, stating that social media is associated with significant mental health harms for adolescents,” Murthy wrote.
“A surgeon general’s warning label, which requires congressional action, would regularly remind parents and adolescents that social media has not been proved safe. Evidence from tobacco studies show that warning labels can increase awareness and change behavior,” Murthy added, but acknowledged that while the label wouldn’t actually keep kids safer, it could inform users of the potential risk.
“The surgeon general’s call for a warning label is not surprising. Dr. Murthy has been critical of social media companies for a number of years,” said Jason Mollica, lecturer in the School of Communication at James Madison University. “Last year, he issued a public health advisory on social media and the effect on mental health.”
New Warnings—But Will It Equal Action?
The surgeon general is hardly the first critic to suggest the inherent dangers that the platforms can present to younger users, but his call to action is still noteworthy in that it could force the companies to take action.
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“Dr. Murthy’s call for warning labels about the potential harms of social media platforms is a crucial step toward safeguarding the health and well-being of our nation’s children,” said Kris Perry, executive director of Children and Screens: Institute of Digital Media and Child Development. “However, the surgeon general’s call to action must be followed by bipartisan legislation in Congress to pass online safety bills, increased awareness among parents and youth, and community-level movements to support families. Together, these changes will impact how we use social media in our daily lives.”
There is an argument as to whether warning labels result in any meaningful action. People still smoke, while warning labels on media have tended to be largely ignored. Children still play M-rated video games, but Perry said there is still a difference between the ratings to an actual warning label.
“Unlike video game ratings, the surgeon general’s warning label would provide direct notice to the potential harms of social media use, a strategy that helped raise awareness and change behavior when used on tobacco products,” added Perry. “Video game ratings guide consumers by identifying certain types of content and suggesting suitable age ranges for players. However, they do not specifically call out potential harms associated with the content or gameplay.”
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Expect Pushback
Big tech has already shown that it is ready to admit its flaws while pushing back against legislation. Social media will be no different—and already many executives have gone to Capitol Hill to apologize for the harm their apps have done, only to make few changes.
Instead of further apologies and promises, the platforms are likely to push back.
“The companies would challenge the assignment of any warning label,” said Greg Sterling, social media analyst and founder of Near Media. “Regardless, however, I think such a label would have an impact only at the margins in terms of usage among teens. In other words, it wouldn’t dissuade many users. But it would stigmatize the brands and further reinforce the ‘big tobacco’ analogy, with uncertain impact at this point.”
The warning labels could be a shot across the bow that forces lawmakers to act. Yet, as the fight over TikTok showed—which was based on national security concerns—there has been significant pushback from users and the platform. We can expect an even larger fight from the American-based social networks.
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“Even if his call were taken up by Congress though and a warning was put in place, it would not move the needle in aiding to curtail the use of platforms like Instagram or Snapchat. Dr. Murthy is correct that parents need to take more of a role in creating social media breaks or ‘holidays’ to aid in overuse,” said Mollica.
“In fact, it’s the responsibility of a parent or guardian to set the rules of how much access their child should be given,” Mollica continued. “There also needs to be more education in primary schools on how to properly use social networks and understand the ups and downs of the platforms.”
