Dr. Vivek Murthy, the U.S. Surgeon General, has a message for social media platforms: it’s time to slap on a warning label on your services. The New York Times reports that Murthy is calling on Congress to introduce labels highlighting the potential mental health risks associated with using these platforms. Think tobacco-style warnings, but instead of cancer and lung disease, we’re talking anxiety, depression, and a distorted body image. The Surgeon General isn’t messing around. He’s declaring the mental health crisis among young people a full-blown emergency, and he’s putting social media squarely in the crosshairs. Murthy points to studies showing that nearly half of teens believe social media messes with their body image, and those spending over three hours a day on these platforms are twice as likely to experience anxiety and depression symptoms. Surgeon General calls for warning labels on social media platforms to highlight potential mental health risks. Of course, not everyone agrees that social media is the villain here. Some experts and tech CEOs argue the evidence linking social media use to depressive symptoms in teens is flimsy at best. But Murthy’s not buying it. He issued an advisory last year warning that social media poses a “profound risk of harm” to kids’ mental health, even acknowledging that the issue isn’t fully understood. Murthy’s argument? In an emergency, you don’t have the luxury of waiting for perfect information. It’s time to assess what we know and act fast. The New York Times has its full argument….U.S. surgeon general pushes for warning labels on social media