US Surgeon General Vivek Murthy in June calling for social media to come with a warning label about its negative health impacts, similar to the warnings placed on cigarettes and tobacco products. Now, 42 attorneys general have drafted to Congress to signal their support for Murthy’s plan.
“This ubiquitous problem requires federal action—and a surgeon general’s warning on social media platforms, though not sufficient to address the full scope of the problem, would be one consequential step toward mitigating the risk of harm to youth,” the group’s letter reads. “A warning would not only highlight the inherent risks that social media platforms presently pose for young people, but also complement other efforts to spur attention, research, and investment into the oversight of social media platforms.”
Almost every state’s AG signed the letter; the only holdouts are Alaska, Arizona, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Ohio, Texas and West Virginia. Attorneys general from American Samoa, District of Columbia and the US Virgin Islands also signed.
The attorneys general cited the Kids Online Safety Act and the Children and Teens Online Privacy Protection Act, which in the Senate, as other important measures for protecting young people’s mental health. The measures took multiple tries to get to a floor vote in the Senate, and it’s unclear whether they have the support to pass in the House of Representatives.
