42 Attorneys General push for social media warning labels

A bipartisan group of 42 attorneys general, led by Bob Ferguson, sent a letter to congressional leaders. The letter demands congressional action to address the youth mental health crisis linked to social media platforms. The Attorneys General (AG) propose mandating a surgeon general’s warning label on algorithm-driven social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook. The letter reiterates concerns from a multistate lawsuit accusing Meta of prioritising profits over the well-being of young users.

The coalition supporting the letter to Congress includes attorneys general from California, Colorado, Kentucky, Mississippi, New Jersey, New York, Tennessee, Alabama, American Samoa, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Virgin Islands, Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.

Social media use can disrupt essential activities like sleep and physical activity, worsening health outcomes. Adolescents who spend more than three hours a day on social media are at double the risk of poor mental health, including depression and anxiety. Social media fosters social comparison, low self-esteem, and disordered eating behaviours, particularly among adolescent girls. One-third or more of girls aged 11-15 report feeling 'addicted' to social media, and over half of teenagers find it hard to give up.

U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy authored an op-ed in The New York Times urging Congress to require a warning label on social media platforms. Murthy compared the need for a social media warning to seatbelts and helmets, highlighting the lack of parental safeguards. He emphasised that parents and children are left to navigate these platforms alone, competing against well-resourced companies like Meta.

Ferguson stressed that while social media is widespread, it is not necessarily safe for children. Ferguson believes mandating a warning label is a critical step in protecting the mental health of young people.

In 2023, Ferguson and a coalition of attorneys general sued Meta, accusing the company of targeting youth with addictive features. The lawsuit claims the platform knowingly put youth at risk, using harmful features to hook them for life, while downplaying the risks publicly.

The platform's leadership, including CEO Mark Zuckerberg, is accused of ignoring internal research and expert advice on the harm caused by cosmetic filters. Zuckerberg allegedly dismissed concerns from experts, vetoing a proposal to ban filters harmful to vulnerable users, including those with eating disorders and mental health issues.

Research shows excessive social media use among children and adolescents correlates with poor mental health outcomes, especially among young girls. Effects include higher rates of depression, anxiety, attention deficit disorders, eating disorders, suicidal thoughts, and body dysmorphia.

The lawsuit claims the platform sought to exploit youth as a 'valuable, but untapped' market with addictive features. Internal documents revealed, the platform's own research confirmed the risks posed by cosmetic filters, especially for vulnerable youth. The platform's head of public policy warned Zuckerberg that independent experts were nearly unanimous on the harm caused by the filters.

Despite this, Zuckerberg cancelled a meeting to discuss these issues and vetoed a proposal to ban the harmful filters, dismissing expert concerns as 'paternalistic'.