Surgeon General Recommendations for Warning Labels Regarding Social Media Impacts to Children 

Statement by Kent Chamberlin, President of Environmental Health Trust on Surgeon General Recommendations for Warning Labels Regarding Social Media Impacts to Children 

The Environmental Health Trust applauds the Surgeon General’s call for warnings on social medias’ impact on children. The vision of our organization is to work towards a world where technology is both state-of-the-art and safe for all, and Dr. Murthy’s call moves us closer to that vision. We would like to add however, that it is not only the content from social media that harms people, but the radiation from wireless devices is also known to cause well documented physical and psychological harm. We ask that the warning advocated by the Surgeon General be revised to include wireless radiation harm so that people can take measures to protect themselves. 

-Kent Chamberlin Ph.D. is President of Environmental Health Trust. He served on the New Hampshire State Commission on 5G Health and Environment and was a founding member of the International Commission on the Biological Effects of Electromagnetic Fields. 

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The U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy wrote in an op-ed in The New York Times calling  for warning labels on social media platforms – similar to those on tobacco and alcohol products – referencing the scientific research documenting associations between social media and mental health issues facing young people today. 

“It is time to require a surgeon general’s warning label on social media platforms, stating that social media is associated with significant mental health harms for adolescents…a surgeon general’s warning label, which requires congressional action, would regularly remind parents and adolescents that social media has not been proved safe.”

In 2023 The Surgeon General issued an advisory describing the current evidence on the impacts of social media on the mental health of children and adolescents. It outlines immediate steps people can take to mitigate the risk of harm to children and adolescents.

“Cell phones should be labeled just like cigarettes. Before purchasing a phone for their child or teenager, parents need to know that cell phones and wireless devices, including wireless earbuds, expose their children to wireless RF radiation. Most parents are fully unaware that cell phone emit radiation, must less that mounting science indicates harmful effects. They need to know that when a phone is in the pocket, the radiation exposure is so high, the FCC found some cell phone models radiation emissions could exceed US governments guidelines,” stated Theodora Scarato of Environmental Health Trust.  

Read more about screentime and children.

https://ehtrust.org/surgeon-general-recommendations-for-warning-labels-regarding-social-media-impacts-to-children/ Source: Environmental Health Trust