American Surgeon General Dr Vivek Murthy is advocating for warning labels on social media platforms due to concerns about their impact on adolescents’ mental health. In an opinion piece published in The New York Times, Murthy argued that social media usage increases the risk of anxiety and depression among children and adolescents. In his view, these platforms pose significant mental health risks, similar to the way tobacco products were identified as health risks in the 1960s, leading to warning labels being mandated on cigarette packaging.
Social media linked to poor health outcomes
Dr Murthy’s push for these warning labels comes amid ongoing debates about the impact of social media on youth in the United States.
According to a report by the BBC, some studies have linked heavy social media use to poor mental health outcomes, while others have found no evidence of widespread psychological harm.
Given the mixed findings, Murthy acknowledged the need for further research but insisted that immediate action is necessary due to the current mental health crisis among young adults.
“Why is it that we have failed to respond to the harms of social media when they are no less urgent or widespread than those posed by unsafe cars, planes or food?” Murthy asked.
What risks do social media pose to teenagers?
Many health reports have found links between the use of social media with mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, sleep issues, and even body image concerns among teenagers. Social media can also be a platform for cyberbullying and raise severe safety concerns including online stalking, harassment, and more. Not to mention, users are vulnerable to cyber attacks, hacking, and other fraudulent activities.
Focusing on teenagers, Murthy shared, “I gathered with students to talk about mental health and loneliness. As often happens in such gatherings, they raised the issue of social media.”
He added that this was an ‘emergency’ and they needed to act on it, instead of waiting for ‘perfect information’.
How would warning labels on social media be effective?
Murthy believes that warning labels on social media would serve as a constant reminder to both parents and young users that the safety of these platforms has not been proven. This measure aims to raise awareness about the potential dangers and encourage parents to monitor their children’s online activities more closely.
He drew parallels to the successful implementation of warning labels on tobacco products, which raised awareness about the risks of smoking. Murthy emphasised the need for immediate action, citing the current youth mental health crisis as an emergency.
Banning phone use in schools & role of parents
Murthy has proposed additional measures such as banning phone use in schools and limiting device usage during meals and at bedtime. These suggestions build on his earlier recommendations, which included setting immediate limits on phone use and urging Congress to develop health and safety standards for technology platforms, made by the surgeon general.
“Parents, too, should create phone-free zones around bedtime, meals and social gatherings to safeguard their kids’ sleep and real-life connections — both of which have direct effects on mental health. And they should wait until after middle school to allow their kids access to social media,” he advised.
Acknowledging the difficulty in implementing these measures, Dr Murthy added the need for parents to work together with other families and family members to establish “shared rules.” This would also encourage children and teenagers to focus on building a healthy relationship with social media, as well as, better understand ways to safely navigate the online environment.
Role of tech companies in mental health awareness
Murthy called for tech companies to be more transparent by sharing internal data on the health impacts of their products, allowing independent safety audits, and restricting features that contribute to excessive use.
“While the platforms claim they are making their products safer, Americans need more than words. We need proof,” he said.
Murthy said the responsibility to safeguard social media users, especially children, also lay with lawmakers. He is hopeful that legislators will introduce a bill to mandate these warning labels, despite potential resistance from the tech industry, which may argue against the settled science of social media’s harms and invoke free speech protections.
“To be clear, a warning label would not, on its own, make social media safe for young people. The advisory I issued a year ago about social media and young people’s mental health included specific recommendations for policymakers, platforms and the public to make social media safer for kids,” Murthy wrote.
Youth mental health: A shared responsibility
Murthy’s opinion piece advocated for all stakeholders, however big or small, to take responsibility and help build a healthier environment for the youth.
“Public health leaders should demand healthy digital environments for young people. Doctors, nurses and other clinicians should raise the issue of social media with kids and parents and guide them toward safer practices,” he wrote.
Murthy also named specific organisations and outlined some suggestions for mental health outreach.
He added that this could not become a parent vs big tech situation, and that everyone had to be on the same page.
Who is Vivek Murthy?
Vivek H Murthy is the surgeon general and vice-admiral of the Public Health Service Commissioned Corps.
Murthy was born on July 10, 1977, in Huddersfield, Yorkshire, to immigrant parents from Karnataka, India. Murthy is the grandson of H C Narayana Murthy, a former director of Mysore Sugar Company. He was raised in Miami, Florida, where he completed his Bachelor of Arts degree from Harvard University, followed by an MD from the Yale School of Medicine and an MBA from the Yale School of Management. Murthy is known for his roles as a physician, research scientist, entrepreneur, and author of the bestseller ‘Together: The Healing Power of Human Connection in a Sometimes Lonely World’.
Murthy has served as the 19th and 21st surgeon general under Presidents Obama, Trump, and Biden, and is leveraging his position to address what he sees as a critical public health issue.
Murthy founded Doctors for America in 2008, a group of over 15,000 physicians and medical students advocating for high-quality, affordable care. In his current tenure as the 21st Surgeon General, he focuses on addressing several pressing public health issues, including health misinformation, the youth mental health crisis, health worker burnout, and social isolation. He also plays a significant role in President Biden’s Covid-19 pandemic response.
Social media and youth mental health in India
In a study published earlier this year in BMC Public Health, researchers examined the potential bi-directional association between social media usage and depressive symptoms among adolescents in India.
Tracking participants from 2015-16 to 2018-19 in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, the research found a significant association between social media use and depression among Indian adolescents.
Examining different factors of adolescents’ lives, the research observed that they emerged as a key predictor of depressive symptoms, with older adolescents (15-19) being more likely to experience depression. Education acted as a barrier to depression, while wealthier adolescents were more prone to depressive symptoms. Engaging in paid work and substance abuse increased the likelihood of depression, as did dropping out of school. Frequent social media users (three or more hours daily) were also more likely to be depressed.
Similar to Murthy’s assertions, researchers emphasised the need for future research to explore this relationship over time and consider different purposes and types of social media use.
Parents, teachers, and even legislators have long debated over the impact of social media on youth, but without any proper research to back up claims, it can be difficult to enact policies.
Murthy, however, is optimistic that legislators in the US will support the introduction of a bill requiring these warning labels, despite anticipated resistance from the tech industry, which may argue against the settled science of social media’s harms and invoke free speech protections.
