One of the first things I learned while earning my Master’s of Public Health, was the impact warning labels and enforced laws have on the public’s health. According to the National Safety Council, National Highway Safety Administration, the passing and enforcement of the seatbelt law has saved hundreds of thousands of lives. Warnings on cigarettes and alcohol can contribute to the reduction of alcohol or cigarette related harm. Just last week, the United States Surgeon General Vivek Murthy wrote in an op-ed published in the New York Times, that he wants to add a warning label on social media saying it is associated with significant mental health dangers for adolescents. By doing so, he is calling on Congress to take action to add the warning to social media. As a public health expert, I agree that it is, in fact, time to put a formal warning on social media stating its potential for danger. Not everyone agrees. I’d love to hear your thoughts. Email me at Siah_Fried@yahoo.com to let me know if you think social media should have a warning on it.
Michaeline Jensen, a psychologist at the University of North Carolina, Greensboro, says there isn’t sufficient evidence to conclude social media is safe — but there isn’t enough to conclude the opposite, either. Jensen says the following areas are harmful based on research: cyber bullying, exposure to racism and discrimination, sleep and attention disruptions related to screen time, and social comparison, especially in matters of physical appearance, which can worsen eating disorders.
But there is also fairly strong evidence for some benefits, she said. “To the extent that young people are engaging on social media for online social interactions, social support, or information seeking around health conditions, those can be beneficial experiences — especially for young people who are otherwise isolated or stressed out in their offline lives,” said Jensen.
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