San Mateo County, home of tech giant Meta, called on Congress to pass a law requiring social media corporations so as to add notices to their platforms warning people of potential harm to users' mental health.
The Board of Supervisors unanimously passed a resolution on Tuesday, the identical day 42 state attorneys general, including Rob Bonta of California, called on Congress to handle the mental health risks related to social media, echoing a call to motion from the U.S. Surgeon General, who said that teens who spend greater than three hours a day on social media are twice as more likely to Development of hysteria and depression Symptoms like those that 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 states. “San Mateo County is committed to protecting the health and well-being of its residents, especially young people, and recognizes the need for measures to mitigate the mental health risks associated with social media use.”
A Meta spokesman declined to comment on the county's solution.
In a June New York Times op-ed, U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy sharply criticized social media platforms, comparing them to cancer-causing cigarettes.
“These harms are not the result of a lack of willpower or education; they are the consequence of introducing powerful technologies without adequate safeguards, transparency or accountability,” Murthy wrote in an essay.
The resolution, introduced by Supervisor David Canepa, emphasized the necessity for laws to guard the mental health of county residents.
In July, Canepa wrote to Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, urging him to teach people in regards to the risks of using Meta platforms like Instagram and WhatsApp.
“I urge you, as the CEO and founder of a $1 trillion company based in San Mateo County, to voluntarily and immediately post warning labels on all of Meta's social media platforms,” Canepa wrote.
In a separate phone interview with Bay Area News Group, Canepa acknowledged that regulating technology could also be a state or federal responsibility, but stressed that the county must take a stand since it is home to several major technology corporations. He is especially concerned about young people being exposed to toxic content.
“Politics is always local,” said Canepa. “For example, if there is something racist or anti-Semitic, it must be labeled accordingly. As a district administration, we call on them to address this problem.”
“Social media companies have shown time and time again that they are unwilling to address the youth mental health crisis, instead putting profits first,” said Bonta, a former state Assembly member from Alameda County. “Social media warnings are a clear and direct way to communicate the risks to young users.”
Earlier this 12 months, San Mateo became the primary county within the country to declare loneliness a public health emergency, also based on Murthy's recommendations.
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