Maneesha Mithal’s Post

Another week and two more #FTC enforcement actions involving sensitive consumer health data. Read Alex Pearce's latest #PracticalPrivacy post to make sense of this flurry of sensitive data enforcement activity.

SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS SHOULD CARRY A HEALTH WARNING LABEL The US surgeon general has called for social media platforms to carry warning labels like cigarette packets. Dr Vivek Murthy said that surging rates of anxiety and depression among young people were “an emergency” and social media was “an important contributor”. He called on Congress to require labels on social media sites to remind users that the platforms had “not been proved safe” and were “associated with significant mental health harms for adolescents”. The average daily use of social media among American adolescents last year was 4.8 hours. A study by the Pew Research Centre found that 95% of young people aged 13-17 said they used it, and more than a third said they were on the platforms “almost constantly”. Murthy said, “Evidence from tobacco studies show that warning labels can increase awareness and change behaviour.” However, he said that labels alone would not mitigate the risks of social media. Congress, tech companies, parents and schools must all play a role in protecting children. He urged schools to ensure that phones were banned from classrooms and social time, and that parents should create “phone-free zones at home to safeguard their kids’ sleep and real-life connections”. He called on tech companies to share all their data on the health impact of their platforms and to allow independent safety audits. “While the platforms claim they are making their products safer, Americans need more than words. We need proof.” He called on Congress to tighten legislation protecting children from online harassment, and from exposure to extreme violence and sexual content. He said, “Why is it that we have failed to respond to the harms of social media when they are no less urgent or widespread than those posed by unsafe cars, planes or food? These harms are not a failure of willpower and parenting; they are the consequence of unleashing powerful technology without adequate safety measures, transparency or accountability.” What's your take?

We often state we don't have a choice in some matters. We always have a choice (except for dying, perhaps). What I believe we are thinking about are the consequences of each choice and deciding which is more aligned with our values, interests, beliefs, and goals. This blog reminds me of George Lakoff’s examination of direct vs. system causation in “The ALL NEW Don't Think of an Elephant.” #InformedConsent #ChoiceVsConsequence #SystemicCausation

WARNING LABELS ON SOCIAL MEDIA: The American Surgeon General suggested that health warning labels are added to social media. I think that this is an idea with great potential that deserves further discussion and research. We know, from other public health areas, that warning labels can reduce the number of people who use harmful products. We also know that such warning labels are often highly contested by the businesses whose products receive them. However, notwithstanding the potential significant pushback against them, it is worth discussing and researching this possibility - the Australian Federal Government should take significantly more action to protect the public, and particularly young people, from the harms that they may experience from using social media. https://lnkd.in/gRqpmUSw

🌿 Delve into the short and long-term health risks of cannabis for adolescents with Dr. Rosado's expert analysis in his latest blog. Essential reading for parents and teens alike! 📖 https://loom.ly/pECF33I #AdolescentHealth #CannabisRisks #DocMJ

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What do you do with your health queries??? Just #AskDrDoodles Every Friday our resident doctor will be here to address all your health-related queries, big or small, in a safe and anonymous environment. From general wellness tips to medical advice, no question is off-limits! Ask your questions here- https://lnkd.in/dqdAGsjg #question #healthquestions #askdr #askdrdoodles

“Tobacco like warning labels for Social Media” Nishat Ali, Partner at VMH & Associates shares “The U.S. Surgeon General, Dr. Vivek Murthy, has proposed implementing warning labels on social media platforms akin to those found on cigarette packs. His rationale stems from concerns about the significant impact of social media on the mental health of adolescents. Murthy argues that like tobacco, social media platforms are designed in ways that can be addictive, particularly to young users. He emphasizes that while warning labels alone won't solve the problem, they could raise awareness and potentially influence behavior, drawing on parallels with how warning labels on tobacco products have contributed to public awareness and behavior change. Additionally, Murthy advocates for broader legislative measures to protect young people online. This includes restrictions on data collection from children, limits on features like autoplay and infinite scroll that encourage excessive use, and measures to prevent exposure to harmful content such as violence and sexual material. In contrast to U.S. efforts, the European Union has already implemented stringent regulations under the Digital Services Act to safeguard users online, setting a precedent for global tech regulation.” https://lnkd.in/dYmYk5Qw

🚫🔒 Google hits pause on opioid policy update. 🛑 Google recently shelved its plan to update healthcare policies, impacting advertisers in multiple sectors. The move delayed promising advertising possibilities, causing ripples in public health and addiction treatment discussions. In June, Google was expected to introduce new rules allowing dialogues on opioid abuse solutions. But due to implementation hurdles, the overhaul has been halted indefinitely. This sudden setback leaves healthcare advertisers in a holding pattern, maintaining the status quo concerning prescription opioid ads. #Healthcare #PublicPolicy #OpioidCrisis #AdvertisingEthics 🛑 Let's keep the focus on responsible strategies until things take a different turn. ⏳