The director of public health The United States has called on Congress for them to place warning messages on social networks about its effect on life of young people, similar to the mandatory labels that appear on cigarette packages.
In an opinion piece published in The New York Times, Dr. Vivek Murthy noted that Social media is a contributing factor to the mental health crisis among young people.
«It is time to require a public health warning label on social media platforms, indicating that social media is related to significant harm to mental health in adolescents. A public health risk labelwhich requires action in Congress, would be a constant reminder to parents and adolescents that Social media has not been proven to be safe.“Murthy wrote. «The evidence obtained from studies on smoking demonstrates that warning labels can increase awareness and change behavior.
Murthy said using a simple warning label won’t make social media safer for young people, but it would one of the necessary steps.
The use of social networks is common among young peopleand up to 95% of adolescents between 13 and 17 years old say they use a social media platform, while more than a third of them say that They use social networks “almost constantly”according to data that the Pew Research Center released in 2022.
“Today, Social networks are like tobacco decades ago: It is a product whose business model It depends on the addiction of young people. As with cigarettes, a public health risk label is a fundamental step to mitigate the threat to children,” said Josh Golin, executive director of Fairplay, an organization dedicated to putting end to advertising aimed at minors old.
The possibility of warning labels on networks
Placing the warning messages on social media platforms would require action in Congress, and It is unknown how soon this could happen.even with the apparent bipartisan unity around the safety of minors on the internet.
Lawmakers have had several legislative hearings on the children’s safety on the internet and they are already working on a bill. However, the most recent federal law aimed at protecting minors on the Internet was enacted in 1998, six years before the founding of Facebook.
But even with congressional approval, Tech Companies Likely to Challenge Labels warning before the courts.
“Putting a warning label on online expression is not only scientifically unfounded, it contravenes the constitutional right to freedom of expression“said Adam Kovacevich, CEO of the tech industry policy group Chamber of Progress. «Surprise that the director of public health of The United States attacks social networks when adolescents themselves say that they are an important means of social connection.
AP
