Warning: This Could Negatively Impact Your Life
Warning Labels Aren't Enough to Protect Young People, Or Anyone, From Any Media
You might’ve heard by now that there are increasing talks to limit teens’ access to social media so they would not so negatively impacted by those digital interactions. This year, the Mayor of New York, Eric Adams, sued TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, and YouTube because those platforms encourage addictive behavior with their algorithms and reciprocity. There are bills in California’s legislature that will hold social media companies responsible for getting youths addicted to their feeds.
And just last week, the U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy, wrote an op-ed in the New York Times encouraging Congress to require warning labels to be put on those same platforms, similar to those labels on alcohol bottles or cans, and cigarette boxes. Dr. Murthy wrote that it is time to take action because of how social media impacts children’s and teens’ mental health.
Not everyone is convinced.
I think we are all aware that warning labels don’t solve everything. Even though labels like that are on cigarette boxes, people are still smoking. Those labels have not eliminated alcoholism and drunk driving once and for all.
Also, even with such labels geared towards not just young people, but their parents, it still won’t solve social media addiction or the mental health issues that come from it. Remember in the mid-90s TV shows were given ratings in the upper left corner? Did anyone ever really pay attention to those? Oh, and the parental controls on TV and eventually streaming platforms? Kids found their way around those no matter what. When there’s a will, there’s a way.
Speaking of which, music. Yes, the music industry in all of its foul-mouthed, raunchy, violent glory. In the year 2000, my first job out of high school was at a CD store (and video games and movies) and it was a real eye-opener to how so many parents didn’t care about what CDs their children wanted to buy. During this time, Eminem’s second LP was out and every kid wanted it, even those as young as eight years old. The store’s policy was not to sell the CD to any child unless their parent(s) was with them. Once that kid got their parent(s), half the time they wouldn’t get the CD after we explained what Eminem’s songs were about and all the swearing in them. But half the other time? Those parents just didn’t care. Their excuses were endless (“they’ll only be swearing in a few years anyway”; “they’ll listen to it at school or a friend’s house”; “just as long as they use their headphones.”).
So why would many parents today care about their kids getting addicted to social media? Who’s to say those parents aren’t addicted to scrolling on Instagram, TikTok, and many other platforms? It’s not uncommon for grown adults to spend so much time on YouTube or TikTok while going down the rabbit hole doing whatever “research” they’re doing.
Also, if social media is so addictive and detrimental to our mental health, what about the other forms of media that are equally harmful? Look at that cartoon above. Can cable TV be a candidate for the Surgeon General’s warnings? What about streaming platforms like Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, and so on? We’re still binging these days, right? And not going out and having human-to-human interactions?
Advertisements are everywhere as well. On all our apps, and not just the social media apps, in our mail, billboards along the highways, and so on. Major cities have ads on every corner, and if you live in New York, ads are on all the buses, subway stations, and trains. Oh heck, Times Square must be a danger to everyone’s physical health with all those ridiculous lights and towering video ads.
Anyway, I’m not convinced a warning label on social media would solve anything; it’s too easy to get around and ignore. Regulating social media, as per those bills in California, may be a good idea but those tech companies have fancy lawyers and loads of money. Plus, lobbyists have more influence and power in the United States.
So what can we do to curb social media addiction in young people? Banning phones from school, which is becoming more common nationwide, is an option. It may help kids learn to regulate themselves and realize there is a world beyond the blue screen. But what about their parents who may not care about their social media use? Many parents are too lenient with their kids, but it’s not illegal just frowned upon. And there’s no way to make it illegal to be too lax with your kids or there will be endless pushback on parental rights, privacy laws, and so on.
My only guess is that the best way to reduce social media use for young people is to have it the rule in places like schools, sports practices, restaurants when the family eats together, things like that. Public spots and private companies would have to enforce it if they wish.
Of course, I always feel media literacy in all its forms could be the way to help anyone undo the control social media has on them. By that, I mean, understanding how algorithms work, why the snack you just grabbed is now being advertised on that social media app you’re on, and why exactly is that influencer selling that product. Look beyond the lines, so to speak. See beyond the carefully crafted videos and highly filtered images. Practically everything is fake these days, so the more we all know that, including children, we may be better off.
Especially since all those “likes” and “follows” are not real people or real friendships anyway.