Bipartisan group of attorneys general demand warning label on social media apps

42 US state attorneys general ask Congress for a Surgeon General warning label for social media apps. The letter to congress by the group said in part: “We, the attorneys general of the 42 undersigned states, write in support of the United States Surgeon General’s recent call for Congress 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. 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. As State Attorneys General, we sometimes disagree about important issues, but all of us share an abiding concern for the safety of the kids in our jurisdictions algorithm-driven social media platforms threaten that safety. A growing body of research links young people’s use of those social media platforms to a variety of serious psychological harms, including depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation….Many of us are also investigating TikTok for similar misconduct. And some states, including Arkansas, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, New Hampshire, and Utah-have already commenced litigation against TikTok for violating their state’s consumer protection laws. These enforcement efforts are a pivotal step to protect the well-being of our nation’s youth and demonstrate the bipartisan concern for this critical issue.” Companies that may be impacted by this include: Meta Platforms (META), Snap (SNAP), IAC (IAC),Bumble (BMBL) Spotify (SPOT), Reddit (RDDT), and Pinterest (PINS).