{"id":77992,"date":"2024-08-05T06:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-08-05T11:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.success.com\/?p=77992"},"modified":"2024-09-09T16:33:35","modified_gmt":"2024-09-09T21:33:35","slug":"should-social-media-be-regulated-surgeon-general-warning-social-media","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.success.com\/should-social-media-be-regulated-surgeon-general-warning-social-media\/","title":{"rendered":"Surgeon General Wants Social Media Labeled Like Cigarettes, for Mental Health Concerns"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

\u201cMom, can I get a phone? Dad, can I get social media?\u201d (rinse, repeat\u2026 multiple times per day). It\u2019s a scenario most parents of teens and preteens can relate to. But, more and more mental health<\/a> professionals and government representatives are speaking up about the risks to children if the parents decide the answer is \u201cyes.\u201d Furthermore, should social media be regulated?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

U.S. Surgeon General, Dr. Vivek Murthy, who wrote an op-ed piece<\/a> in The New York Times<\/em> in June, concerning social media and its impact on users thinks so. He called on Congress to pass a bill that would require a warning label on social media. Additionally, Murthy has included social media regulation in his top eight priorities<\/a> of urgent health concerns while he is Surgeon General.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What\u2019s the harm?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

How could social media<\/a> be in the same category as cigarettes, alcohol and other risky products through the years that have earned this warning? Research has proven consistently that social media is potentially harmful<\/a> to the mental and emotional health of children and teens. A 2022 study<\/a> from Pew Research Center found that 95% of young adults between the ages of 13 and 17 use YouTube as well as other social media platforms. Additionally, two-thirds of teenagers use social media every day<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The American Psychological Association<\/a> shares that while chronological age doesn\u2019t necessarily mean a kid is \u201cready\u201d for social media challenges, brain development is still occurring through the teen years and early 20s, so some teens are hypersensitive to social feedback that might be skewed on social media by AI content<\/a>, likes and follower counts, and the absence of well-labeled harmful content. Children are also less likely to have impulse control, so features like infinite scroll and lack of time limits, along with push notifications, can impact their sleep, physical activity and mental wellness. The APA says exposure to bad actors on social media is a problem for young people as well, causing many to ask, should social media be regulated?<\/p>\n\n\n\n\"SUCCESS<\/a>\n\n\n\n

Would Surgeon General social media warning labels help?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Warning labels first appeared on tobacco products in 1965<\/a> to help raise awareness for consumers of health risks when using the products. Murthy acknowledged in the op-ed that a warning label wouldn\u2019t fix the problem but could be a step in the right direction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some states are taking action against social media conglomerates. In March 2024, Florida Gov. Ron Desantis signed a bill<\/a> prohibiting children under the age of 14 from having their own social media accounts. The same bill also requires children under the age of 16 to obtain parental consent to have social media accounts and will take effect on January 1, 2025.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In New York, Gov. Kathy Hochul agreed to sign legislation that would put a ban on the use of algorithms<\/a> in children\u2019s feeds. The bill passed<\/a> at the end of June, making New York the first state to pass a bill that regulates algorithms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Should social media be regulated?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In order for warning labels to appear on social media, it would take a congressional act, and a timeline for that isn\u2019t clear. If it were to become a requirement, some experts<\/a> believe that tech companies would challenge social media regulation in court, arguing that it\u2019s an infringement on free speech. Europe has the Digital Services Act<\/a> to help keep users safe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Frank Anderson, M.D.<\/a>, Harvard trained psychiatrist, trauma specialist and author of To Be Loved: A Story of Truth, Trauma, and Transformation<\/em><\/a> <\/em>says it\u2019s an \u201copportunity\u201d for those with authority in society to take a stand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt urges parents, policymakers, technology companies and social media platforms to conduct research and further investigate the impact social media has on our children. This allows parents, schools and those in direct contact with children to make more informed decisions about the amount and kind of social media kids are exposed to,\u201d he says. \u201cIt could significantly minimize the harmful effects and maximize the benefits social media can have on the health and well-being of our children.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Anderson says he hopes the warning takes effect. \u201cWhen an organization with authority takes a stand and makes a recommendation based on solid research, it can change people\u2019s behavior and have a profound impact on society. We have seen the benefits of this previously with the stance and warnings around cigarette smoking.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What it won\u2019t solve<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Just like people keep smoking even though cigarettes are labeled, children will still use social media, even when it\u2019s to their own detriment. So, should social media be regulated?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe label may raise temporary awareness of the concerns of being on social media, but that will soon be ignored by most, and it will be business as usual. It is important that more parents be educated about the issues of social media concerning their kids so they know how to handle it, and they can speak to them about how to use their phones and social media in a healthier way,\u201d says Kirk Smalley, co-founder of Stand for the Silent<\/a>, a 501(c)(3) that raises awareness of school bullying and suicide. Smalley and his wife, Laura, started the organization following their 11-year-old son\u2019s tragic death by suicide due to bullying.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe more we can teach our parents and kids about bullying and the psychological issues of social media, the better off our kids will be. So the warning labels are good for getting the discussion started, but they can’t address the problem without the other pieces of the puzzle,\u201d he adds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Parents and social media: What parents can do<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Smalley\u2019s recommendation that both the government and parents get involved is echoed through researchers\u2019 findings, from those who want to ban phones from schools to those who want to teach kids how to responsibly integrate them into everyday life in a tech-centered society.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Social psychologist Jonathan Haidt made waves for his opinions in his book, The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness<\/em><\/a>, blaming phones and social media for the rise in teen anxiety and depression. His extreme solution has ignited conversations around the country<\/a>, and his book has topped The New York Times<\/em> bestseller list. His solution? No smartphones before high school; no social media until age 16.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Whether parents take Haidt\u2019s approach or another, Anderson has some recommendations for all parents concerned about their children and teens with regard to social media regulation:<\/p>\n\n\n\n