Forty-two attorneys general, led by Oregon AG Ellen Rosenblum, sent a letter to Congress, demanding that lawmakers address mental health concerns on social media.
The AGs wrote to convey their support for U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy’s call to “require a surgeon general’s warning on social media platforms.”
“Young people are facing a mental health crisis, which is fueled in large part by social media. As Surgeon General Murthy recognized, this generational harm demands immediate action,” they wrote. “By mandating a surgeon general’s warning on algorithm-driven social media platforms, Congress can help abate this growing crisis and protect future generations of Americans.”
The letter addressed growing research that “links young people’s use of those social media platforms to a variety of serious psychological harms, including depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation.”
While some states have taken legal action against social media platforms to “protect the well-being of our nation’s youth,” the “industry has fiercely resisted these protections,” the letter says.
The attorneys general suggested that federal action must be taken to address their mental health concerns, such as incorporating a “surgeon general’s warning” on social media platforms.
“A warning would not only highlight the inherent risks that social media platforms presently pose for young people, but also complement other efforts to spur attention, research, and investment into the oversight of social media platforms,” they explained.
The letter was signed by the AGs of 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, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.
