42 state attorneys general, including Idaho’s, demand a Surgeon General warning label for social media apps

Jason Seher, CNN

(CNN) — It’s difficult to get 42 states to work together connected much. But a bipartisan group of attorneys wide connected Tuesday demanded that Congress require Surgeon General informing labels connected societal media apps to thief curtail addiction and a intelligence wellness situation among young adults.

“As authorities Attorneys General, we sometimes disagree astir important issues, but each of america stock an abiding interest for nan information of nan kids successful our jurisdictions — and algorithm-driven societal media platforms frighten that safety,” nan 42 attorneys wide said successful a missive to Congress.

States person taken ineligible action against a number of societal media companies, including Meta and TikTok. But they reason much needs to beryllium done successful Washington to alert group to nan dangers societal media platforms present.

“In summation to nan states’ historical efforts, this ubiquitous problem requires national action — and a surgeon general’s informing connected societal media platforms, though not capable to reside nan afloat scope of nan problem, would beryllium 1 consequential measurement toward mitigating nan consequence of harm to youth,” nan attorneys wide said.

The missive echoed overmuch of what Surgeon General Vivek Murthy outlined successful a scathing New York Times op-ed successful June, that drew a nonstop comparison betwixt nan apps — TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat and others — to crab causing cigarettes.

Murthy cited respective studies, including a 2019 American Medical Association study published successful JAMA that showed teens who walk 3 hours a time connected societal media double their consequence of depression. Teens walk astir 5 hours a time connected societal media apps, according to a Gallup poll.

“Everyone needs to cognize nan consequence associated pinch these societal media platforms,” New York Attorney General Letitia James said successful a statement. “The Surgeon General’s proposal is simply a beardown first measurement successful that direction, and I dream informing labels will beryllium implemented swiftly to raise much consciousness astir this issue.”

James has routinely fought pinch societal media companies, headlining a suit against Meta revenge successful October 2023. The suit alleged that Meta, nan genitor institution of Facebook and Instagram, was causing irreparable harm to nan intelligence wellness of young adults.

Appending a informing to societal media apps requires Congressional approval.

In an question and reply pinch CNN successful June, Murthy said he thinks “it’s basal that parents cognize what we now know, which is that location are important harms associated pinch societal media use.”

Murthy has pushed for Congress to present a measurement to slap informing labels connected apps that provender what he called a intelligence wellness situation that leaves parents mostly powerless.

Congress has truthful acold ignored Murthy’s plea to present a measure requiring informing labels. But nan Senate did walk nan Kids Online Safety Act this summertime — a connection backed by Microsoft, X and Snap — that would require tech companies to protect children from vulnerable online contented and enarthrosis nan load erstwhile their platforms origin harm.