A bipartisan bill sponsored by Alabama Republican Senator Katie Britt and Pennsylvania Democrat John Fetterman would create a mental health warning label requirement for users under the age of 18 on social media platforms. The Stop the Scroll Act was approved by the U.S. Senate Commerce Committee on a voice vote but its future in the full U.S. Senate is uncertain.
“Every child deserves the chance to live their own personal American Dream, but our nation’s youth mental health crisis—fuelled by the rise in social media—is getting in the way for far too many,” Britt told the committee hearing. “While Congress needs to do much more to protect the next generation online, I am proud to lead a step in the right direction with Senate Commerce Committee passage of the Stop the Scroll Act. Senator Fetterman and I are following through on the former Surgeon General’s call to create a warning label for social media platforms, but we’re going further by requiring the warning label to also point users to mental health resources. I’m grateful for his partnership on this issue which affects children, teens, and families from Alabama to Pennsylvania and every community in between. Equipped with the knowledge of the dangers and empowered with the resources to address it, we believe this is a simple solution that will help parents and kids thrive.”
Britt is leading federal legislative efforts to protect children by focusing on online safety, social media accountability, and, as noted on her official issues page, expanding educational freedom.
Numerous studies have linked heavy usage (over 3 hours/day) to doubled risks of anxiety, depression, and poor body image among youth. It many cases social media, especially Tik Tok, have been cited for urging youth to do unsafe things. Proponents argue that, like tobacco, these platforms pose significant, proven harms.
Britt and Fetterman’s bill would require social media companies to display a label that warns underage users of potential mental health impacts of accessing a respective social media platform. The warning would appear in a pop-up box format upon opening a social media platform. Users under the age of 18 would then need to acknowledge the potential mental health risks in order to proceed to use the platform. The warning label could not be hidden or obscured, and its exact language would adhere to warnings expressed by the Surgeon General. Additionally, the label would provide an avenue for users to be connected with available mental health resources.