In a letter to Congress, Attorney General Gentner Drummond and 41 other attorneys general have urged lawmakers to pass legislation requiring a U.S. surgeon general warning on all algorithm-driven social media platforms. The call comes amid increasing scrutiny of social media companies for their impact on young people's mental health.
The attorneys general referenced research linking the use of these platforms by young people to psychological harm, including depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts in children and teens. They highlighted features such as algorithmic recommendations, infinite scrolling, and constant notifications designed to keep users engaged at the expense of breaks, other activities, or sleep.
Drummond emphasized that such a warning would clearly highlight the adverse effects of social media on young people.
“American children are in the throes of a mental health crisis. While social media addiction is not the sole culprit, there is no denying that it is a significant factor,” Drummond stated. “Parents and young people deserve to be fully informed of the situation.”
Last October, Drummond filed a lawsuit against Meta for allegedly designing harmful features on Instagram, Facebook, and its other platforms. Oklahoma is also among several states investigating whether TikTok intentionally enhanced its platform's addictiveness for young users.
Despite these efforts to address harms caused by social media platforms, the attorneys general argue that more action is necessary because “social media platforms have demonstrated an unwillingness to fix the problem on their own.”
The letter was signed by attorneys general from Alabama, American Samoa, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Utah Vermont U.S Virgin Islands Virginia Washington Wisconsin Wyoming
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