Connecticut Attorney General William Tong has joined with 41 other attorneys general from around the U.S. and called on Congress 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.
According to Tong, “These dangerously addictive platforms and their algorithms and infinite scroll features — called behavioral cocaine by one developer — are designed to override self-control and maximize profits. Warning labels are one significant step we can and should take to educate families and protect kids. But we cannot stop there. In coordination with state attorneys general across the country, we will not hesitate to use the full weight of our enforcement authority to force this broken industry to respect the law and the safety and wellbeing of our children.”
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 kids and teens. They also note how platforms feature irresistible algorithmic recommendations, infinite scrolling, and a constant stream of notifications are designed to keep kids relentlessly engaged on the platforms, even at the expense of taking breaks, engaging in other activities, or sleeping.
Last year, 45 states and the District of Columbia brought lawsuits against Meta, and many states including Connecticut are either investigating or actively suing TikTok in state court. Despite these efforts to address the harms caused my social media platforms, the attorneys general say the need for federal action is clear.
The attorneys general say more action is necessary because “social media platforms have demonstrated an unwillingness to fix the problem on their own.”
