The US Surgeon General has proposed adding warning labels, similar to those found for tobacco and alcohol, to social media platforms. The proposal comes in response to growing concerns about the harmful effects of social media on children, including cyberbullying, grooming, eating disorders, sex blackmail and addictive behavior.
In an interview with Bark Technologies' chief parenting officer, Titiana Jordan, she expressed support for the proposed warning labels, calling them a step in the right direction.
“All of the worst problems that affect humanity are exacerbated by social media,” Jordan said, “and the people who are most vulnerable to these problems are children. Again, I can't believe we haven't been warned about that yet.”
Jordan believes the wealth of data on the negative effects of social media on children makes it clear that action is needed, and she believes warning labels would be effective in mitigating the risks associated with social media use.
“If there's a broad warning from the Surgeon General, we need to pay attention to it,” Jordan said. “It's not going to be the case that social media companies say, 'We don't have enough data yet.' The reality is, there is enough data, and it's clear.”
“We've seen these warnings work to reduce tobacco use. We know they work. So we're confident this will help. It's just a matter of when and how it will be implemented.”
