UNM experts weigh in on Surgeon General's push for warning labels on social media apps

Warning labels on social media: That's what the United States Surgeon General called for last month saying the apps are a big contributor to the mental health crisis among younger people.

Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy is calling on Congress to put warning labels on social media apps like it does other products, such as cigarettes or alcohol. But an Instructor in the Communication and Journalism Department at The University of New Mexico says it won't be that easy.

"If you have a cigarette box, you can label it. If you have a bottle of alcohol, you can easily put a label on it because it's a physical product. It gets more complex with a digital product," Carolina Contreras said. "Where does the label go? Will someone actually see it, interact with that label?"

Studies show 95% of young people (13-17) are on social media, a striking statistic for Associate Professor Dr. Kristina Sowar with the Department of Psychiatry at UNM, who says there's a definite correlation between social media use and things like depression and body image anxiety.

"What's concerning is how much of that is unfiltered or not monitored by parents, and also the amount of time and accessibility that kids may have on social media," Sowar said.

Over the course of 10 years, Sowar says she has noticed an increase in children/teens struggling with their mental health and seeking help. That's why she believes the Surgeon General's push for digital warning labels is a meaningful statement.

Contreras also believes the health warning is a step in the right direction, however, she says the warning labels would only be a good starting point and more will need to be done.

"Putting a short warning label on an end-user license agreement or pop-up that can be dismissed with one click would most likely not be very effective," Contreras said. "Studies show that as little as 9% of people don't read end-user agreements. They may glance at them at best and agree."

Contreras says a warning label must be followed up with a public awareness campaign and digital literacy programs for everyone. "Parents need more information with clear guidelines for different ages and stages of social media use. Many people incorrectly think that digital natives know everything they need to know about technology. Digital literacy education teaches everyone about the possibilities and dangers of technology so we can use it most beneficially."

Others have similar questions about the effectiveness of digital warning labels.

"People are largely desensitized to warning labels because we find them everywhere, from grocery items to furniture. An effective warning label should provide consumers with new information," said Principal Lecturer John Benavidez in the Anderson School of Management. "Requiring warning labels on social media platforms will only serve to tell us what we already know - that time spent using social media can put people, especially teens, at risk for experiencing poor mental health outcomes. The negative effects of social media on mental health have been well-documented by researchers and the media. For this reason, I'm not convinced that warning labels are going to work."

While some believe the parents should take charge, others feel social media companies should be held accountable.

"Social media companies may have tried to add parental controls onto their apps but ultimately tend to put the responsibility onto parents, however, studies show kids and parents want social media companies to help with the situation and take responsibility, so we're kind of at a stalemate," Contreras said.

In some cases, parents argue social media can be an advantage to children, such as interaction and support, and want their kids to have access. However, Contreras says while there are some benefits, evidence is beginning to show more problems with social media than benefits.

"The problems related to mental health have to do with all of the apps and internet access in general. There's content that's just not intended for children's consumption that is made available to them through these apps," she said. "The algorithms tend to be problematic because they corner people into one piece of the internet, spiraling into more extreme content on the subject."

While Contreras says there is no easy answer to the crisis, she believes the solution can start with a conversation at the family dinner table.

"Now that there's less of a stigma on mental illness in general we're having more discussions about how to protect our mental health," Contreras said. "It's not just the child, it's everyone's well-being now that's being discussed, which is really important."

Murthy took to social media last month, saying, "Parents are feeling overwhelmed and outmatched when it comes to their kids' social media use. A digital Surgeon General's warning label would help parents understand the risks and may prompt parents to monitor or limit use."

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services website, parents and caregivers should create a family media plan and tech-free zones in the home to make healthy boundaries. For the social media companies, the government says they should conduct assessments of their impact and share data relevant to the health impacts of the platforms.

Besides limiting access or putting boundaries on when kids can use social media, Sowar says as parents, consider what you're modeling. "If parents are on social media a lot during the day, of course, that's going to model a pattern for kids," she said.

Murthy says for warning labels to be added to the social media platforms, Congress would need to pass legislation.

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