Surgeon General Backs 'Digital Warning Label' for Social Media Platforms

Sen. Roger Marshall (R-Kan.) speaks to reporters in Washington on Aug. 5, 2022. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

Recent statements from the U.S. Surgeon General suggest that social media websites could be regulated in the same way as cigarette packaging, vape cartridges, and alcohol bottles.

Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, and other social media platforms face growing criticism from politicians and health officials over the mounting mental wellness issues being blamed on exposure to their content.

And bipartisan attempts to regulate the companies have included proposed policies such as age restrictions and warning labels.

Surgeon General Vivek Murthy speaks during the United States Conference of Mayors' 91st Winter Meeting in Washington on Jan. 18, 2023. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

The U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy recently issued a new advisory against social media use, stating that it is driving this country’s ongoing mental health crisis.

“The most common question parents ask me is, ‘Is social media safe for my kids?’ The answer is that we don’t have enough evidence to say it’s safe and in fact, there is growing evidence that social media use is associated with harm to young people’s mental health,” he said in a previous statement.

The nation's top doctor doubled down when he appeared before the Senate Health Committee on June 8 and was asked if he would go even further than issuing an advisory and support putting an obvious surgeon general's warning on social media.

Close to an hour into the committee hearing, Sen. Roger Marshall (R-Kan.) made his sentiments regarding social media clear, saying, “I think the addictive pressures coming from social media today are worse than pornography, and just like we had to set parameters around pornography, we need to do the same thing with social media.”

Then he asked, “Dr. Murthy would you support some type of an electronic surgeon general’s warning on a statement on mental health and ... the impact of social media?”

Cartons of Marlboro brand cigarettes are seen inside a Cigarettes Cheaper store on June 13, 2003, in Niles, Illinois. (Tim Boyle/Getty Images)

Murthy said, “I do worry about social media as you do, and what I’ve tried to actually do with the advisory we just issued two weeks ago was to put in writing—clear as day—what our concern was ... and to issue that warning to the American public.”

“When I was growing up,” Marshall continued, “we put a surgeon general’s warning on tobacco, and it had an impact. I think when we put a surgeon general’s warning on alcohol for pregnant women, it has an impact.

"Are you willing to use your bully pulpit and say we need a surgeon general warning on what is the biggest threat to our youth right now when it comes to their health?”

'No. 1 Threat to Children's Health'

“This is the No. 1 threat to our children’s health right now,” he continued. “It is not cancer. It’s not osteoporosis, not a whole lot of things. This is the No. 1 threat. Are you willing to use your pulpit and put your reputation on the line and say we need a surgeon general’s warning on social media for you?”

Murthy immediately replied, “Senator, I do think it would be appropriate to have a warning on social media to warn parents and kids. And if Congress is willing to provide the legislative or regulatory authority to put that label on that, I’d certainly be willing to partner.”

The surgeon general clarified that it would take legislation or regulatory authority for him to put such a digital label on social media platforms.

The latest advisory shows that up to 95 percent of young Americans aged 13–17 report using social media platforms with more than a third admitting to using it “almost constantly.”

And while 13 is a commonly required minimum age for Americans to use social media, almost 40 percent of children aged 8–12 have been found to be using it.

“Despite this widespread use among children and adolescents,” it reads, “robust independent safety analyses on the impact of social media on youth have not yet been conducted.”

But Marshall believes enough information has been gathered.

“We know social media is preying on our youth,” he said. “We know it as surely as alcohol causes infant problems for moms as well. We know we don’t need to study this more. It’s as black and white as you can make this. Why does it take an act of Congress to do the right damn thing?”

“The truth is, senator, the social media platforms have been around for nearly 20 years,” Murthy replied.

“If we are going to just rely on them to fix this problem. I think we’re waiting for something that’s not going to happen because while they have made some efforts to put safety measures in place, it’s not nearly enough and it’s not happening nearly fast enough.”

History of Warning Labels

On Jan. 11, 1964, Surgeon General Luther Terry released the Advisory Committee on Smoking and Health’s first report.

According to the CDC, the advisory referenced 7,000 previous medical articles to proclaim cigarette smoking to be the cause of lung cancer and laryngeal cancer in men, a probable cause of lung cancer in women, and chronic bronchitis.

But even with the backing of 7,000 pieces of expert source material, the first warning label did not appear on the cartons until Congress passed the Federal Cigarette Labeling and Advertising Act of 1965.

That—along with the Public Health Cigarette Smoking Act of 1969—also resulted in the banning of cigarette advertisements in broadcast media and called for an annual report on the health consequences of smoking.

Juul e-cigarette starter pack is seen in this picture illustration taken July 16, 2018. (Martinne Geller/Reuters)

Meanwhile, bottles of alcohol were given their own surgeon general warning label with the United States Alcoholic Beverage Labeling Act of 1989.

According to The New York Times in 1990, the label said, “According to the surgeon general, women should not drink alcoholic beverages during pregnancy because of the risk of birth defects.

"Consumption of alcoholic beverages impairs your ability to drive a car or operate machinery, and may cause health problems.”

The most recent alcohol warning labels were reviewed by the National Institute of Health in 2022.

The latest products to get their own warning label were the water vapor alternatives to smoking due to their containment of nicotine.