Stanford Medicine study: Health warnings could reduce youth social media use

A study from Stanford Medicine, published in JAMA Health Forum, suggests that pop-up health warnings on social media feeds could effectively reduce usage among teenagers and young adults. Researchers tested 14 different warning messages on a panel of 1,012 participants aged 13 to 29, covering topics such as depression, anxiety, sleep disruption, and negative body image.

The findings indicated that these warnings increased awareness of mental health risks and that participants consistently reported they would reduce their social media consumption if presented with such notices. Messages specifically addressing depression and anxiety were found to be particularly resonant.

The research follows a 2024 call by U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy to implement health notices similar to those found on tobacco and alcohol products. While Meta recently reached a major settlement regarding harms to minors, the study highlights a growing legislative trend in the U.S., with states like California, Colorado, Minnesota, and New York enacting or proposing laws to mandate such warnings.