Attorneys general from 42 states issued a letter Monday urging Congress to require social media companies to attach a surgeon general’s warning label to their apps.
The National Association of Attorneys General’s letter agreed with the conclusion of U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy that social media is fueling a mental health crisis among young people.
“A growing body of research links young people’s use of those social media platforms to a variety of serious psychological harms, including depression, anxiety and suicidal ideation,” the letter reads. “Algorithm-driven social media use also interferes with adolescents’ daily life by chronically disrupting their sleep with irresistible algorithmic recommendations, infinite scrolling and a constant stream of notifications designed to keep kids relentlessly engaged on the platform.”
The attorneys general then called for the warning label.
“This problem will not solve itself, and the social media platforms have demonstrated an unwillingness to fix the problem on their own,” the letter continues. “Therefore, we urge Congress to act by requiring warnings on algorithm-driven social media platforms, as recommended by the Surgeon General.”
The letter doesn’t contain details about how the label would be attached to popular social media apps like Instagram and X.
• Vaughn Cockayne can be reached at vcockayne@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.