San Mateo County, California, home to tech giant Meta, urged Congress to pass legislation requiring social media companies to add labels to their platforms warning people about their potential to harm users' mental health.
The Board of Supervisors unanimously passed a resolution Tuesday, the same day 42 state attorneys general, including California's Rob Bonta, called on Congress to address the mental health risks associated with social media. They were echoing a call to action by the U.S. surgeon general, who said adolescents who spend more than three hours a day on social media have double the risk of developing anxiety and depression symptoms as those who aren't on social media.
"Evidence from tobacco studies shows that warning labels can be effective in raising awareness and influencing behavior and health risks," the resolution stated. "The County of San Mateo is committed to protecting the health and well-being of its residents, particularly its young people, and recognizes the need for measures to mitigate mental health risks associated with social media use."
A Meta spokesperson declined to comment on the county's resolution.
In a June op-ed in The New York Times, U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy lambasted social media platforms—likening them to cancer-causing cigarettes.
