Why social media warning labels are irrelevant

The current mental health crisis among young people is real. Few would disagree that kids are suffering right now. In a recent New York Times editorial, Surgeon General Vivek H. Murthy called for social media platforms to display warning labels similar to those on cigarette packaging. As a concerned parent, I understand. As a solution, I don't. I'm disappointed that he is linking social media to cigarettes by calling for warning labels. A better analogy would be a swimming pool, which can be deadly for kids who can't swim, but has many benefits if kids are trained in swimming safety.

The proposed warning labels emphasize public concerns over empirical evidence, encouraging a disturbing trend of ignoring research findings in favor of emotion, but above all, they ignore the preventive power of digital literacy.

There is no such thing as a “healthy use of tobacco.” But social media includes hundreds of platforms with numerous features and a wide range of uses (passive ones, such as scrolling and researching, and active ones, such as commenting, creating, and sharing content). Like swimming pools, social media poses dangers if children do not know how to use it in a safe and healthy way.

Fear attracts attention

Social media warning labels are unlikely to change teenagers’ behavior. But the proposal evokes a lot of emotion. It could do more harm than good if it leads to restrictive regulations that ignore the need to teach children the skills they need. Children, due to their developmental stage and brain maturity, are more interested in being social than assessing future risks. Social media is a big part of how kids connect with others and participate in popular culture, and they will find a way to go online. Our goal should be to provide kids with clear guidance and the skills and understanding they need to use technology (including social media) successfully, not to discourage them from using it at all.

It is often forgotten that not all social media use is bad or problematic. Kids use a variety of platforms, games, and apps to communicate, do schoolwork, research, have entertainment, get news, and stay connected with friends (Chassiakos and Stager, 2020). Labeling all digital technology use as “risky” undermines teen trust, because most young people report their social media experiences as positive, even as they recognize the problems (O’Reilly and colleagues, 2022). Are your kids worried about their overuse of social media? Yes. Do they need tools and guidance? Of course. However, new laws propose restrictions that could drive teen behavior underground. Negative messages from parents and the media about social media are more likely to increase shame and reduce parent-child trust than to encourage healthy technology behaviors.

Protecting children's mental health

The issue here isn't warning labels; social media platforms already have disclosure documents that no one reads. If the goal is to rally support for protecting children's mental health, I'm all for it, as long as practical, evidence-based measures are taken. First, consider specifically where the problem lies: use of mobile devices or access to social media? Both can cause problems, but they're not the same.

We cannot afford to ignore the research or to intervene based on causal conclusions drawn from correlations and associations. These are complex issues, not simple ones, and our children’s health is at risk. Sure, these kids have grown up with social media. But they’re also dealing with a tumultuous hormonal transition from childhood to adulthood, including school shooter drills, pandemic social isolation, global war, and unprecedented partisan meanness. And when they’re not stressing about schoolwork or who likes who, they’re worrying about climate change. Of course, social media plays a role, but it’s amplified. Social media didn’t create bullying, negative social comparison, FOMO, misinformation, or the desire to belong. We also mustn’t forget that children have vastly different vulnerabilities, skills, social environments, biological predispositions, family structures, economic resources, and emotional support. These are some of the documented, important factors that influence children’s psychological responses to stressors, including social media stressors. We want interventions that take these things into account and have a positive impact on our children.

Social media is here to stay

Warning labels won't make social media (or mobile device use) safer. People are scared and angry, and are easily fooled by promises of easy fixes. Solutions that restrict access and enable lawsuits won't work.

Social media and mobile technology are here to stay. It's unrealistic to expect social media companies to screen users and remove all inappropriate content and misinformation from billions of posts every day without invading privacy. Even if they could, being online outside of social media carries risks. All web activity is subject to the collection of personal information, and children can be targets for cyberbullying and the distribution of harmful videos.

We need to prepare our children

We need to help children with mental health issues by providing them with mental health treatment. It may come as a surprise to you, but for some children, social media is now the only source of mental health information. More importantly, if we want to protect our children from the negative effects of digital devices without depriving them of their benefits, we must teach them the essential skills. There are times when restrictions are lifted and parents are not around. I have seen digital literacy training in the classroom change children's attitudes and behaviors. Once children are taught digital literacy skills, don't underestimate their capabilities, solve them.

• Developing self-control, responsibility, and self-awareness to make healthy choices.
• Ability to recognize and apply personal values ​​such as honesty, empathy, kindness and respect for others to your online and offline behavior.
• Conflict resolution and coping skills.
• Ability to think critically about information and evaluate sources and the quality of content.
• To understand how persuasive technology can capture their attention.
• The skill of recognizing how content style, messaging, algorithms and notifications manipulate emotions and behavior.
• The confidence and courage to set personal boundaries and protect your privacy.

Children need guidance and practice

As Mursi stated in Social Media and Youth Mental Health 2023, we should emphasize the importance of media literacy as “preventive medicine.”[i] Citing the need for digital literacy training highlighted in the APA's health advisory on youth social media use[ii]Warning labels or blocking access are stop-gap solutions that don't prepare kids for a healthy, safe relationship with technology.

Children need guidance and structure to use technology in a healthy way. You wouldn’t hand your child the car keys without training them to drive, or throw them in the deep end of the pool without teaching them how to swim. The goal of parenting is to prepare your children for the world they will live in. Campaigns such as no-cell phone zones in schools are a great idea to limit distractions in the classroom, but we must remember that they don’t equip children with the skills to manage the digital drama that will come at the moment the bell rings. It’s great to encourage children to spend more time outdoors and in offline activities, but safe environments and enrichment activities are not available everywhere. Technology rules at home are essential, but healthy technology use concerns everyone, not just children, and every family member should be responsible.

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