PRESS RELEASE – Sen. Jon Husted (R-Ohio) has joined Sens. Katie Britt (R-Ala.) and John Fetterman’s (D-Pa.) Stop the Scroll Act.
The bill would create a mental health warning label requirement for social media platforms so that users could better understand the potential mental health risks associated with the applications. The warning labels would also direct users to mental health resources.
“As more and more children and teens use social media, a warning label should be prominently displayed highlighting the potential harms of using social media platforms.”
“The Stop the Scroll Act would help young people grasp the mental health risks that come with social media. I’ll continue to back solutions that prioritize the safety of our kids and communities,” said Husted.
The Stop the Scroll Act would require the surgeon general to develop a label that warns each user of the potential mental health impacts associated with a particular social media platform. The bill would require the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to implement that warning label across various platforms.
The surgeon general’s warning would appear in a pop-up box when a user opens a social media platform. Each user would need to acknowledge the potential mental health risks of using the platform in order to proceed.
Applications would not be allowed to hide or obscure the warning label, and its exact language would have to follow requirements established by the surgeon general.
Additionally, the label would point users to federal resources for those experiencing mental health struggles, including the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.
On average, children and teenagers spend approximately 3.5 hours a day on social media, and spending more than three hours a day on social media platforms increases the risk for mental health problems—including depression and anxiety—according to a recent study.
Last year, the former surgeon general recommended that the government place a warning label on social media platforms.
This leadership builds on Husted’s work to protect children’s mental health. Husted and Fetterman recently introduced a resolution to support the designation of May 4 through May 10, 2025 as Children’s Mental Health Awareness Week, raising awareness about the importance of early detection, treatment, intervention and prevention strategies. The Senate passed their legislation.