There has been a push recently to place warning labels on social media platforms to protect the youngest users from the risks that may come with improper or excessive use. The concern is that screen time has a detrimental effect on children's mental health. While this push has been supported by many parents and teachers, the pushback has been substantial and has come largely from mental health practitioners and researchers.
So why would those most knowledgeable about children's mental health oppose warning labels on platforms that may impact that health? Well, warning labels are traditionally reserved for things that are unsafe at any level. By putting a warning label on social media, the perception would be that they are unsafe at any level of use by anyone at all times. And this is simply not the case.
Rather than the "unsafe at any speed" model of tobacco — which does have a warning label — social media can be thought of more as the "use at your own risk" model, like gambling. No one is moving to outlaw casinos because we understand that gambling is a relatively harmless form of entertainment for millions of people every year. And while gambling addiction is real, there are resources both in the mental health community and in the gaming industry to help those who do not use it safely or appropriately.
Placing a warning label on social media essentially scapegoats these platforms, taking attention away from issues that may be much larger in the fight for youth mental health. If warning labels are merited, the mental health industry will fully support those efforts. But let’s make sure the labels are being put on the right thing.
