The last federal law protecting children online was enacted in 1998, six years before Facebook

US Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy has called on Congress to require warning labels on social media platforms, similar to ones on cigarette packs, saying that these platforms are associated with “significant mental health harms for adolescents.”

In his Monday opinion piece in the New York Times, Dr. Murthy pointed out recent studies and surveys that show adolescents (aged 12-17) who spend over 3 hours on social media every day face double the risk of depression and anxiety symptoms.

It is particularly worrisome. On average, an adolescent spends 4.8 hours each day on social media, per a 2023 Gallup poll.

Furthermore, over 95% of American youth use social media daily, data from a 2022 survey by the Pew Research Center found.

Murthy pointed out that social media platforms’ current measures to protect children are easily bypassed. He wants companies to share data on health effects with independent scientists and the public and allow independent safety audits.

He also asked Congress to pass measures that would shield minors from online abuse and exploitation, prevent these platforms from collecting sensitive data from children, and limit features like push notifications, autoplay and infinite scroll.

That said, Congressional legislation requiring warning labels on social media has a long way to go. Neither the House nor the Senate have introduced any such proposals.

The last federal law protecting children online was enacted in 1998, six years before Facebook, points out the Associated Press.

Notably, some states have been working to pass legislation to safeguard children’s mental health from the harmful effects of social media.