Surgeon General calls for warning labels on social media [Video]

U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy is renewing his call for warning labels on social media platforms, saying it’s a necessary step to combat concerns over youth mental health. “The mental health crisis among young people is an emergency — and social media has emerged as an important contributor,” Murthy wrote in a recent New York Times opinion piece. Murthy believes these labels, similar to those seen on tobacco products, could raise awareness and alter behavior. “We have to warn parents about what we are seeing in the data, which is that social media is associated with mental health harms for adolescents,” Murthy said.Murthy cited research suggesting that children who spend more than three hours a day on social media are twice as likely to experience anxiety and depression. A Gallup poll indicates that the average usage among this age group surpasses this, clocking in at nearly five hours per day.However, …