42 states are not likely to agree on anything. A bipartisan group on Tuesday of attorneys general demanded that Congress mandate Surgeon General warnings on social media apps in order to curb addiction and the mental health crisis among young people.

In a letter sent to Congress, the 42 state attorneys general stated that they sometimes disagreed on important issues but shared a common concern about the safety of children in their jurisdictions. They said algorithm-driven social media platforms threatened this safety.

States have brought legal actions against several social media companies including Meta and TikTok. They argue that more should be done to educate people about the dangers of social media platforms.

The attorneys general stated that “in addition to the historic efforts of the states, this ubiquitous issue requires federal action. A surgeon general’s caution on social media platforms would not be sufficient to address the entire scope of the problems, but it would still be a significant step towards mitigating risk of harm for youth.”

The letter echoed many of the points made by Surgeon General Vivek M. Murthy in an op-ed published in the New York Times in June. In that article, he compared apps like TikTok and Instagram to cancer-causing cigarettes.

Murthy cited a number of studies, including one published by the American Medical Association in JAMA. The study showed that teens who spent three hours per day on social media had a doubled risk of depression. Gallup found that teens spend five hours or more a day using social media apps.

Letitia J., New York’s Attorney General, said in a press release that “everyone should be aware of the risks associated with social media platforms.” “The Surgeon-General’s recommendation represents a significant first step, and I hope that warning labels are implemented quickly to increase awareness of this issue.”

James has been in constant conflict with social media companies. In October 2023, he filed a lawsuit against Meta. The lawsuit alleged that Meta (the parent company of Facebook, Instagram and Twitter) was causing irreparable mental harm to young adults.

The Congressional approval is required to add a warning on social media apps.

In a June interview with CNN, Murthy stated that he believes “it is essential that parents understand what we know now, that social media usage can cause significant harm.”

Murthy has called on Congress to pass a bill that would impose warning labels on any apps that he believes are contributing to what he calls a mental crisis, which leaves parents largely powerless.

Murthy has not received any response from Congress regarding his request to introduce a law requiring warning labels. The Senate passed the Kids Online Safety Act in the summer, a proposal backed up by Microsoft, X, and Snap. This act would have required tech companies to protect kids from harmful online content and take responsibility when their platforms harm children.