Are Social Media Warning Labels Coming? Texas Lawmakers Think So.

Imagine if every time you opened Instagram or TikTok, you had to click past a warning that read: "Excessive social media use is linked to depression, anxiety, and eating disorders in teens." Would it make you think twice about scrolling? Texas lawmakers are debating whether that’s exactly what should happen.

House Bill 499, introduced by Texas Rep. Mary Gonzalez, aims to require platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok to display warnings about social media’s impact on mental health. specifically for minors. The proposal follows a growing body of research linking heavy social media use to rising rates of teen depression, anxiety, and even suicide.

The Push for a Social Media Warning Label in Texas

Last summer, former U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy urged Congress to take action on this issue. He backed a federal bill called the Stop the Scroll Act, which would have required similar warnings nationwide. However, that bill never made it past committee. Texas lawmakers, however, aren’t waiting for Congress to act.

According to Rep. Gonzalez, these labels could serve as a much-needed wake-up call for both teens and their parents. She pointed to the success of cigarette warning labels in increasing awareness of smoking risks. Could social media warnings have a similar effect?

The Dark Side of Social Media

Many mental health professionals say something needs to be done. Dr. Lauren Gambill, a pediatrician representing the Texas Medical Association, testified that social media is fueling serious health issues among young patients.

"As a hospital-based pediatrician, I take care of kids in the hospital following suicide attempts at an alarming frequency," Dr. Gambill told lawmakers. She noted that the impact of social media is worsening over time, with younger children now showing signs of depression, anxiety, and body image issues due to harmful online content.

The problem isn’t just limited to mental health. Teens are also falling into dangerous eating habits thanks to viral "what I eat in a day" videos and extreme workout challenges. Dr. Gambill recalled treating patients so malnourished from following these trends that their heart rates slowed and they struggled to maintain normal blood pressure.

Will Warning Labels Make a Difference?

Not everyone is convinced that a social media warning label is a solution in Texas. Some lawmakers argue that while the risks are real, simply adding a pop-up message might not change behavior, especially for a generation that has grown up with these platforms.

Rep. James Frank believes that the real issue is social media’s addictive nature. He argues that tech companies have designed platforms to maximize engagement, often at the expense of users' mental well-being. "They’ve hired child psychologists to make sure it’s more addictive and then withheld that information from parents," Frank said.

Still, proponents of the bill believe that even if warning labels don’t completely solve the issue, they could be a step in the right direction. "If we save even one life, I think it would be important," said Dr. Gambill.

The Future of Social Media Regulation

So what’s next? The bill is currently pending in the Texas House Committee on Public Health. If passed, Texas could become one of the first states to require social media warnings, potentially setting a precedent for other states to follow.

For now, the debate continues. But one thing is clear: the conversation about social media’s impact on mental health isn’t going away anytime soon.