On September 10, 2024, a bipartisan coalition of attorneys general, led by Attorney General Phil Weiser and joined by 41 other attorneys general, urged Congress to enact legislation mandating a U.S. surgeon general warning on all algorithm-driven social media platforms. The call for legislative action follows increasing scrutiny of social media companies regarding their impact on the mental health of young people.
The attorneys general referenced extensive research linking these platforms to psychological issues such as depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts among children and teenagers. They highlighted features like algorithmic recommendations, infinite scrolling, and constant notifications designed to keep users engaged at the expense of other activities or sleep.
“Keeping our kids safe from the destructive and manipulative practices of social media companies is a bipartisan issue that we can all agree on,” said Weiser. “While a surgeon general warning is not sufficient to address the full scope of the crisis, it would be one consequential step toward reducing the risk of harm to youth.”
States have already taken significant actions against social media platforms. Last year, Colorado joined 44 states and the District of Columbia in lawsuits against Meta. Many states are also investigating or suing TikTok in state courts. Despite these efforts, the attorneys general emphasized the necessity for federal intervention.
They noted that recent legislative efforts like the Kids Online Safety Act and Children and Teens’ Online Privacy Protection Act show bipartisan commitment but argue more action is needed because “social media platforms have demonstrated an unwillingness to fix the problem on their own.”
The letter was co-led by attorneys general from California, Colorado, Kentucky, Mississippi, New Jersey, New York, and Tennessee. It was also signed by attorneys general from Alabama, American Samoa, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, 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 U.S Virgin Islands Virginia Washington Wisconsin Wyoming
This latest initiative follows previous efforts by Weiser’s office to improve youth mental health services. In June he announced up $20 million grants school-community partnerships promote holistic youth mental health support Additionally his office partnered with Colorado Department Education distribute $17 million combat youth vaping crisis These funds were sourced from $31 settlement reached Juul Inc resolve lawsuit targeting young people marketing misrepresenting health risks products