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Lawmakers Move to Protect Children from Social Media Impact

Lawmakers Move to Protect Children from Social Media Impact

By Movieguide® Contributor

Last week the United States Surgeon General called for a warning label to be applied to social media advising users about the effect the technology has on young users, a move that could help save our kids from its addictive power.

“I’m looking at what’s taking place online, on social media in particular and I’m worried about all of our kids,” U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy told Fox News. “The warning label I’m calling for is one part of a larger set of strategies that we need to put in place to, not only warn parents about these harms but ultimately make social media safer for kids.”

While data revealing the negative effect social media has on the young brain has been building in recent years, the endorsement from Dr. Murthy has given it a new level of credibility. A surgeon general’s warning label would take some time to be applied — having to first be approved by Congress — however, Dr. Murthy’s intention has already made waves.

A day after Dr. Murthy’s announcement, California Governor Gavin Newsom revealed he plans to introduce legislation to ban children’s use of smartphones during the school day.

“As the surgeon general affirmed, social media is harming the mental health of our youth,” Newsom told POLITICO. “Building on legislation I signed in 2019, I look forward to working with the Legislature to restrict the use of smartphones during the school day. When children and teens are in school, they should be focused on their studies — not their screens.”

Legislature to this effect has been supported by both political parties, as Florida Governor Ron DeSantis endorsed similar legislation last year. While big tech has long had free reign due to the size of the industry’s wallet, Congress’s intention to finally hold these companies accountable for their actions has perhaps best been shown through the TikTok ban, which found near-unanimous support earlier this year.

While national security was at the heart of the ban, another major problem fueling the legislation was the numerous TikTok “challenges” that have harmed or killed thousands of kids. While TikTok is aware of these challenges — because they garner millions of views as they become popular —it rarely intervenes to prevent children from getting hurt by them.

After two decades of unfettered growth, it is encouraging to finally see big tech roped in and no longer allowed to exploit people for profit.

Movieguide® previously reported:

U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy recommended a surgeon general’s warning be applied to social media platforms as a constant reminder to users that the platforms have a profound negative effect on their health.

“The mental health crisis among young people is an emergency — and social media has emerged as an important contributor,” Murthy wrote in a recent New York Times piece. “Adolescents who spend more than three hours a day on social media face double the risk of anxiety and depression symptoms, and the average daily use in this age group, as of the summer of 2023, was 4.8 hours. Additionally, nearly half of all adolescents say social media makes them feel worse about their bodies.”

“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. A surgeon general’s warning label, which requires congressional action, would regularly remind parents and adolescents that social media has not been proven safe,” he continued.

The suggestion comes after years of mounting evidence have made the link between social media and the youth mental health crisis undeniable. Last April, the American Psychological Association (APA) released a report calling social media unsuitable for adolescents due to its addictive features which wreak havoc on still-developing brains.