Surgeon general calls for warning labels on social media platforms

• "The mental health crisis among young people is an emergency — and social media has emerged as an important contributor," Murthy wrote in a New York Times op-ed.

Driving the news: Warning labels like those that appear on tobacco products can raise awareness and change behavior, he wrote.

• Neither the House nor the Senate has introduced legislation requiring waning labels on social media, per the New York Times.

Zoom in: Teens who spend more than three hours a day on social media face increased risk of showing signs of anxiety and depression, Murthy wrote.

• Almost half of teens say these platforms make them feel worse about how they look, he added.
• "We have the expertise, resources and tools to make social media safe for our kids. Now is the time to summon the will to act," he said.

The big picture: Murthy has made addressing America's mental health crisis one of his priorities as surgeon general, with a particular focus on the effects of social media on adolescents.

• Last year, Murthy issued a public health advisory about the harms social media poses to young people. It outlined new safeguards that policymakers, platforms and parents should take.
• Murthy said at an Axios event in May that the current youth mental health crisis is the "defining public health issue of our time."

Go deeper: Surgeon general issues advisory about social media risks for kids