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Surgeon Sounds Social Sirens

Surgeon Sounds Social Sirens

Plus, a historic spin.

June 19, 2024

Good morning! Happy Wednesday and Happy Juneteenth! Here are the Flag’s Top Five stories that should be on your radar to start the day:

US: Biden announces new policy shielding undocumented spouses of U.S. citizens from deportation (NBC News)
World: Thailand’s Senate overwhelmingly approves a bill to legalize same-sex marriage (NPR)
Business: McDonald’s to end AI drive-thru test with IBM (CNBC)
Technology: Apple’s Vision Pro team is reportedly focused on building a cheaper headset (The Verge)
Sports: Celtics win 18th NBA championship with 106-88 Game 5 victory over Dallas Mavericks (AP)

And of course, some good news: Indonesia’s first Olympic gymnast gears up for spin in Paris.

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Left: Polls Are Little More Than 'Vibes' Now, Chauncey DeVega, Salon

Left: Who Really Suffers When the Supply Chain Is in Crisis? Brett Christophers, The Nation

Left: Biden Is Betting Big on Trump's Conviction, Max Burns, MSNBC

Right: American Money Troubles: De-Dollarizing Trade Partners, Jessica Baumgartner, The Federalist

Right: Biden's Weaponized Justice System Is Scaring Voters, Sen. Eric Schmitt, FOX News

Right: If Biden Loses PA, He'll Likely Lose the Election, William A. Galston, Wall Street Journal

Today’s Top Story in One Sentence: On Monday, Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy called on Congress to mandate warning labels on social media apps, citing their significant contribution to the youth mental health crisis and the dire need for urgent action.

Reporting from the Left: Surgeon general demands warning label on social media apps (CNN)

Reporting from the Right: Surgeon general calls for warning label on social media (Washington Examiner)

LEFT-LEANING SENTIMENT

A Temporary Victory

The Top Argument From The Left: Surgeon General: Why I’m Calling for a Warning Label on Social Media Platforms, Vivek H. Murthy: “One of the most important lessons I learned in medical school was that in an emergency, you don’t have the luxury to wait for perfect information. You assess the available facts, you use your best judgment, and you act quickly. The mental health crisis among young people is an emergency — and social media has emerged as an important contributor. Adolescents who spend more than three hours a day on social media face double the risk of anxiety and depression symptoms, and the average daily use in this age group, as of the summer of 2023, was 4.8 hours. Additionally, nearly half of adolescents say social media makes them feel worse about their bodies. It is time to require a surgeon general’s warning label on social media platforms, stating that social media is associated with significant mental health harms for adolescents. A surgeon general’s warning label, which requires congressional action, would regularly remind parents and adolescents that social media has not been proved safe. Evidence from tobacco studies show that warning labels can increase awareness and change behavior. When asked if a warning from the surgeon general would prompt them to limit or monitor their children’s social media use, 76 percent of people in one recent survey of Latino parents said yes.”

Honorable Mention #1: A Warning Label for Social Media Could Also Save Kids From Gun Violence, Mark Follman, Mother Jones.

Honorable Mention #2: The Surgeon General Is Wrong. Social Media Doesn’t Need Warning Labels, Mike Masnick, The Daily Beast.

RIGHT-LEANING SENTIMENT

Warning Label Isn’t Enough

The Top Argument From The Right: Social media needs more than a warning label, Washington Examiner: “Evidence is strong that social media use harms children, and parents need all the tools necessary to protect their families. States, including Florida, Georgia, and Utah, have passed strong new laws to help parents, and Congress should follow their lead. The net benefit of adult social media use is debatable, but the impact on children is clearly bad. … Studies show that adolescents who spend more than three hours a day on social media are more than twice as likely to suffer from anxiety and depression than those who do not. … Raising parents’ awareness of the harms of social media is a worthy goal, but parents, at the same time, should be given the tools to monitor, control, and limit their children’s social media use. Parents have busy lives filled with technology they do not always have time to master. By requiring children to get their parents’ permission to create an account and giving parents the default tools to track and limit what their children see, Florida and Utah are bringing much-needed supervision where it is sorely missing. Many parents are choosing not to give their children smartphones. Instructively, this is a popular option among Big Tech moguls who own social media platforms. … Social media reforms championed by Florida and Utah are a model Congress should pursue to make that possible with greater safety.”

Honorable Mention #1: Surgeon General Calls for Tobacco-Style Social-Media Health Warnings, David Zimmermann, National Review.

Honorable Mention #2: Surgeon general calls for tobacco-style warning on social media platforms, Richard Pollina, New York Post.

FLAG THIS

In February 2023, one-third of adult internet users in the United States reported that social media had either a somewhat negative or very negative effect on their mental health.

Regarding children and teens, 55% of US adults expressed concern about social media’s impact on the mental health of children. One-third believed that social media was mostly responsible for the increase in depression among American teens. (Statista)

Do you believe social media should come with a Surgeon General's warning about its mental health risks?

WATERCOOLER

Juneteenth, Hotel Etiquette, Daydreaming Felines

Emancipation Day celebration in Richmond, Virginia, 1905.

On This Day in 1865, in what is now known as Juneteenth or Emancipation Day, Union soldiers arrive in Galveston, Texas with news that the Civil War is over and slavery in the United States is abolished. A mix of June and 19th, Juneteenth has become a day to commemorate the end of slavery in America.

Daily Passport: 8 Things Hotel Guests Do That Staff Hate

Better Report: Is Pasta Actually Healthier As a Leftover?

USA Today: Do we really need $1M in retirement savings? Not even close, one top economist says

Today I learned cats aren’t nocturnal.