The debate around social media's impact on adolescent mental health has reached the national stage with U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy calling for mandatory warning labels on social media platforms. Murthy's proposition, which would require congressional approval, is an effort to address the concerns that social media platforms may be associated with negative mental health outcomes for young users.

According to FOX San Antonio, Shawntina Harris, who lost her son Jordan to suicide after he experienced bullying both online and in-person, expressed strong support for the Surgeon General's plea. "This is our future at stake, you know, and if we don't stand up and fight for a change, now, what's going to happen," Harris said. Maurine Molak, another advocate whose son David's suicide after cyberbullying led to 'David's Law' in Texas, is actively working on a federal bill, the Kids Online Safety Act, which is expected to be brought to the floor soon, according to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer.

Josh Golin expressed his views in Al Jazeera, relating social media to tobacco in past decades: “Social media today is like tobacco decades ago: It’s a product whose business model depends on addicting kids. And as with cigarettes, a surgeon general’s warning label is a critical step toward mitigating the threat to children,” Data from the Pew Research Center indicates that social media use among adolescents is exceptionally high, with up to 95 percent of those ages 13 to 17 engaging with such platforms.

Efforts to mandate warnings on social media, however, may face significant legal challenges from the tech industry. Adam Kovacevich, CEO of Chamber of Progress, argues that labeling online speech is not only "scientifically unsound" but also at odds with the constitutional right to free speech, according to Al Jazeera. Despite the potential resistance, the push for these warning labels continues, reflecting growing concern over the way social media influences the psychological well-being and behaviors of its younger user base.

Furthermore, alongside the call for warning labels, there is advocacy for a comprehensive approach to revamp social media's design, privacy, and safety features, akin to legislative models in the United Kingdom and the European Union, as suggested by Dr. Jenny Radesky, a developmental behavioral pediatrician. Such coordinated efforts aim to reshape the digital landscape in a way that protects and considers the needs of children in the digital age.