AGs urge Congress to mandate warning labels on social media platforms

[LAUREN TAYLOR]

A COALITION OF 42 STATE AND TERRITORY ATTORNEYS GENERAL IS CALLING ON CONGRESS TO REQUIRE WARNING LABELS ON SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS.

THE ATTORNEYS GENERAL ARGUE THAT requiring THESE WARNING LABELS WOULD BE ‘ONE CONSEQUENTIAL STEP TOWARD MITIGATING THE RISK OF HARM TO YOUTH.’

THE INITIATIVE BUILDS ON U.S. SURGEON GENERAL VIVEK MURTHY’S JUNE PROPOSAL ASKING CONGRESS TO AUTHORIZE TOBACCO-STYLE WARNING LABELS ON SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS, STATING THAT SOCIAL MEDIA IS ASSOCIATED WITH SIGNIFICANT MENTAL HEALTH HARMS FOR ADOLESCENTS.

IN A LETTER – THE ATTORNEYS GENERAL WRITE “BY MANDATING A SURGEON GENERAL’S WARNING ON ALGORITHM-DRIVEN SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS, CONGRESS CAN HELP ABATE THIS GROWING CRISIS AND PROTECT FUTURE GENERATIONS OF AMERICANS.”

A 2019 AMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION STUDY SHOWED THAT TEENS SPENDING MORE THAN THREE HOURS DAILY ON SOCIAL MEDIA FACE DOUBLE THE RISK OF DEVELOPING ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION SYMPTOMS COMPARED TO NON-USERS.

TEENS SPEND AN AVERAGE OF NEARLY FIVE HOURS DAILY ON SOCIAL MEDIA APPS, ACCORDING TO A GALLUP POLL.

DOCTORS SAY THE MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS AMONG YOUNG PEOPLE HAS REACHED EMERGENCY LEVELS, WITH SOCIAL MEDIA EMERGING AS A SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTOR TO PSYCHOLOGICAL HARM.

FORTY-FIVE STATES AND WASHINGTON D.C. HAVE FILED LAWSUITS AGAINST META, THE PARENT COMPANY OF FACEBOOK AND INSTAGRAM, WHILE MANY ARE ALSO PURSUING TIKTOK FOR ALLEGED VIOLATIONS OF CONSUMER PROTECTION LAWS.

FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS, I’M LAUREN TAYLOR..