In a joint effort to improve the mental health of America’s youth, 42 state and U.S. territory attorneys general are urging Congress to require U.S. surgeon general warnings on algorithm-driven social media platforms.
The bipartisan group of attorneys general from 39 states across the country—as well as the District of Columbia, American Samoa, and U.S. Virgin Islands—sent a letter to Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-La.), Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), calling for swift federal action to address the harmful impact of social media on youth.
Murthy said then that a warning label, which requires congressional approval, would regularly remind parents and adolescents that social media has not been proven safe, adding that evidence has shown similar labels on tobacco have raised awareness and changed behavior.
“We, the attorneys general of the 42 undersigned states, write in support of the United States Surgeon General’s recent call,” the letter from the AGs stated. “Young people are facing a mental health crisis, which is fueled in large part by social media.”
The attorneys general pointed to research that links social media usage to increased rates of depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation among adolescents.
The attorneys general cited a variety of studies showing how social media disrupts sleep, fosters body dissatisfaction, and promotes self-harm.
In their call for action, the attorneys general noted that some states have already begun taking steps to address the issue. For instance, lawsuits have been filed by 41 states and the District of Columbia against Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, for allegedly pushing young users toward dangerous levels of platform engagement.
Other states, such as Arkansas, Indiana, and Iowa, have initiated similar legal actions against TikTok for violations of consumer protection laws. However, the letter emphasizes that these state-level efforts alone are not enough.
The attorneys general said that while a warning label would not solve the problem, it would represent a crucial step toward mitigating risks to youth. They argue that such warnings would increase public awareness, spur additional research, and encourage greater regulatory oversight of social media companies.
Several states have already enacted such legislation. For example, Tennessee recently passed the Protecting Children from Social Media Act, which requires parental consent for minors creating social media accounts.
Other states, such as California, have implemented laws requiring platforms to assess and mitigate potential harms to children. Despite these efforts, the letter said that federal action is necessary to create a consistent, nationwide standard.
The attorneys general closed their letter by reinforcing the bipartisan nature of the concern and the urgency of the matter.
The states joining the three territories signing onto the letter were Alabama, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, 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, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin, Wyoming.
While the letter mentioned Iowa and Nebraska as examples of states that implemented state-level policy, they were not signatories on the letter.
