Attorney General Kwame Raoul, as part of a bipartisan coalition of 42 attorneys general, is calling on lawmakers to pass legislation requiring a U.S. surgeon general warning on all algorithm-driven social media platforms. Raoul and the coalition issued a letter to Congress amid growing scrutiny of social media companies for their role in generational harm to young people’s mental health.
“Our children should be aware that social media platforms utilize features to make their platforms more addictive to young people. These algorithm-driven platforms can interfere with sleep and education, enable cyberbullying and contribute to depression, anxiety, body dysmorphia and thoughts of self-harm,” Raoul said. “I am committed to holding responsible actors accountable for putting profits ahead of mental health and well-being of our children.”
In the letter, Raoul and the coalition highlight growing bodies of research that link young people’s use of social media platforms to psychological harm, including depression, anxiety and even suicidal thoughts in children and teens. The attorneys general also note how platforms feature irresistible algorithm recommendations, infinite scrolling and a constant stream of notifications that are designed to keep kids relentlessly engaged on the platforms, even at the expense of taking breaks, engaging in other activities or sleeping.
This is Raoul’s latest action to hold social media platforms accountable for the harm they have caused young people. In 2023, Raoul joined a lawsuit against Meta Platforms Inc. (Meta), the company that owns and operates Facebook and Instagram, for its harmful business practices targeting children. Earlier this year, Raoul led a bipartisan coalition calling on the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to update and strengthen the rules technology companies must follow under the federal Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA).
Despite these efforts to address the harms caused by social media platforms, Raoul and the attorneys general say the need for federal action is clear. The coalition said in the letter that more action is necessary because, “social media platforms have demonstrated an unwillingness to fix the problem on their own.”
Joining Raoul in submitting the letter are attorneys general of Alabama, American Samoa, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, 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, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin and Wyoming.
- Grandson of Man - Wednesday, Sep 11, 24 @ 12:05 pm:
It’s a good one. Freedom with responsibility, like a free country is intended. If social media companies are juicing the system to hook kids, absolutely good idea.
- Downstate Surveyor - Wednesday, Sep 11, 24 @ 12:11 pm:
The Cell Phone industry is just as guilty IMO…..
- TJ - Wednesday, Sep 11, 24 @ 12:12 pm:
See nothing wrong with this. Social media is designed to be as addictive as possible. Various media platforms have all but admitted that. Don’t see anything wrong with requiring a warning to that effect appearing on the assorted sites with that in mind.
- TheInvisibleMan - Wednesday, Sep 11, 24 @ 12:20 pm:
I’m not against it. Mostly because it won’t accomplish anything by itself.
However, if it was just one part of an educational approach - as in combined with an educational campaign similar to the anti-smoking ads then it would have a chance of success.
If you just throw a label on it and call it a day, it’s going to turn into nothing more than a 21st century ‘Explicit Lyrics” label. Which will lead to the same outcome as it did in the 1990s, where the label will be sought after by kids and not avoided.
Kids aren’t stupid. If these algorithm concepts are explained to them clearly and with examples relevant to their current lives, it will work. It might also have the unintended consequence of teaching kids about other organizations which knowingly use their emotions of fear to try to control them. I’ll leave out the explicit example I’m thinking of, but I’m sure the reader can figure it out. And if they can’t, well then these educational campaigns could also help some adults too.
We have plenty of lessons to learn from. Lets make sure to do that.
- Amalia - Wednesday, Sep 11, 24 @ 12:42 pm:
fine. but. are ads even worse? pop up and entice. convince kids they need things, need to look a certain way. the affect of things pushed over the internet is everywhere.
- OneMan - Wednesday, Sep 11, 24 @ 12:49 pm:
I’m kind of curious how they are going to state it so people understand it.
- JS Mill - Wednesday, Sep 11, 24 @ 1:19 pm:
This isn’t even a good first step.
Minimum age for kids to have a smart phone should be 14 (16 is better) a old fashioned dumb phone with only calling is fine whenever.
Deal with the social media companies and their algorithms.
Remove their immunity for materials posted on their sites. They will get very involved in moderation if there is a financial risk.
The FCC needs to allow schools to limit cell phone signals in schools. We can firewall anyone that uses our wifi but the cell signal is regulated by the FCC.
- Anyone Remember - Wednesday, Sep 11, 24 @ 1:26 pm:
===The FCC needs to allow schools to limit cell phone signals in schools.===
Can we add prisons to that list? Jails?