Drummond, coalition of attorneys general call for Congress to require surgeon general warning on social media platforms

OKLAHOMA CITY (Sept. 10, 2024) – In a letter to Congress, Attorney General Gentner Drummond and 41 other attorneys general today called on lawmakers to pass legislation requiring a U.S. surgeon general warning on all algorithm-driven social media platforms. The letter comes amid growing scrutiny of social media companies for their role in generational harm to young people’s mental health. 

The attorneys general cited growing bodies of research that link young people’s use of these platforms to psychological harm, including depression, anxiety and even suicidal thoughts in children and teens. They also note how platforms feature algorithmic recommendations, infinite scrolling, and a constant stream of notifications designed to keep kids endlessly engaged on the platforms – even at the expense of taking breaks, engaging in other activities, or sleeping. 

Drummond said such a warning would clearly underscore the adverse effects of social media on young people.

“American children are in the throes of a mental health crisis. While social media addiction is not the sole culprit, there is no denying that it is a significant factor,” Drummond said. “Parents and young people deserve to be fully informed of the situation.”

Last October, Drummond filed a lawsuit against Meta for knowingly designing and deploying harmful features on Instagram, Facebook and its other platforms. Oklahoma is also among a number of states investigating whether TikTok intentionally designed its platform to enhance its addictiveness to young people. 

Despite these efforts to address the harms caused my social media platforms, the attorneys general say more action is necessary because “social media platforms have demonstrated an unwillingness to fix the problem on their own.” 

In addition to Drummond, the letter is signed by  the attorneys general from Alabama, American Samoa, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin and Wyoming.