Being a parent is a big responsibility. You’ve got to keep your baby alive, well, and healthy, and from there, the responsibility grows. It is up to you to ensure your children are fed, clothed, and hydrated, get their medicine, and get to school. It can be challenging to juggle parenthood along with all of the other stressful demands of adult life, but with some practice and hard work, it’s possible.
For teens, the world today is much different from what it was decades ago, especially with the advent of social media. It doesn’t take an online MA in Counseling Psychology to figure out that social media usage can be harmful to American teens, from exposure to harmful content to bullying and harassment.
Recently, US Surgeon General Vivek Murthy has called for warning labels to be added to social media platforms, similar to those that you see on tobacco products that advise of the dangers of smoking.
This article will explain this advice and the reasoning behind it so parents can stay informed about this topic. Continue reading to learn more.
The Surgeon General’s Warning
There have been growing concerns about the impacts of social media exposure and usage on teen mental health for a few years now. In June, Surgeon General Vivek Murthy called for warning labels to be added to social media platforms such as Facebook, X, TikTok, and Instagram, similar to existing warning labels that are legally required to be placed on cigarettes and alcohol.
The Surgeon General’s warning cited recent research that demonstrated that teens who use more than three hours of social media per day double the risk of developing mental health problems like depression, anxiety, eating disorders, and other serious conditions. This call and warning comes a year after Murthy issued a major public advisory on the links between youth mental health and social media usage.
What the Research Demonstrates
Teen mental health experts have long suspected that social media platforms may play a role in the growing mental health crisis in young people across the globe. Yet the Surgeon General’s first advisory notice in 2023 was one of the first official government warnings that was supported by robust scientific research.
Researchers are limited to studying associations, which makes direct causation links hard to prove. Yet numerous studies have demonstrated a relationship between social media viewing and lower self-esteem, body image, and mental health outcomes.
Scientific data also demonstrates the efficacy of including warning labels to deter young people from using substances such as alcohol and tobacco.
Criticism of The Warnings
There has been criticism of the call for warning labels. Critics have argued that it oversimplifies a complicated issue and that limiting access to social media in any capacity would actually harm young people more than it would aid them. Supporters believe that warning labels are a step in the right direction and a less restrictive practice than widespread privacy regulations and restrictions. So far, any calls for restricting social media use in teens have fallen on deaf ears.
Warning Labels Already Used
In some cases, warning labels have already been used for eating disorder content on the internet, such as digitally altered images, and have caused mixed results. The research shows that the warning labels don’t reduce the negative impacts of social media on body image. Some studies even demonstrated that warning labels might increase appearance and body image comparisons, which are one of the main reasons that social media can be harmful to self-image and self-esteem.
A More Holistic Approach?
Some tech commenters have claimed that the Surgeon General’s call is the wrong approach and that it is not accurate to draw a connection between alcohol and tobacco and social media usage. They believe that a blanket warning about social media by itself would not be particularly effective as a standalone measure. While it may discourage some teen users or help some parents pay better attention to their kid’s digital media consumption habits, it doesn’t make social media platforms safer for young people. They believe that a concentrated effort coordinated between families, healthcare providers, schools, communities, and influencers should address the mental health crisis and that tech companies have a role to play as well.
What Can Parents Do?
As a parent, you must keep your children safe, both in the real world and in the digital one. There are applications you can use to monitor and restrict your children’s usage of the internet, which may be helpful in some cases. It also helps to have conversations with your child about what they see on social media and to role model positive behavior and thinking.
As you can see, the issue is complex, and even scientific research is mixed on this topic. Warning labels could be an effective method of reducing the harms associated with social media use. Still, they may fall short of addressing the real issue, which is the safety of the digital platforms we all use on a daily basis.
A Digital Summary
The Surgeon General’s call for warning labels on social media raises a topic that all parents should be aware of. Still, the research and commentary on it are mixed. While parents need to keep their kids safe, they should also take an active role in their children’s digital media use and remain supportive and engaged with them. The wider community and tech companies also have a role to play.
