Social media platforms should have health warnings for teens, U.S. surgeon general says

Social media platforms should post warning labels, similar to those now used on cigarette packs, for teenagers who are increasingly suffering from mental health issues that are partly tied to the apps, U.S. surgeon general Vivek Murthy said Monday in an opinion piece in the New York Times. 

"It is time to require a surgeon general's warning label on social media platforms, stating that social media is associated with significant mental health harms for adolescents," Murthy wrote. 

The push would be similar to the warnings printed on cigarette packages, which Murthy noted have shown to "increase awareness and change behavior." However, adding warning labels to social media platforms would require Congress to pass legislation, he noted.