Washington D.C. – U.S. Senators Katie Britt (R-Ala.) and John Fetterman (D-Pa.) introduced the bipartisan Stop the Scroll Act on Monday, aiming to create a mental health warning label requirement for social media platforms. The legislation seeks to raise awareness, particularly among adolescents, about the potential mental health risks associated with social media use and provide users with access to mental health resources.
Senator Britt emphasized the importance of addressing the growing mental health crisis among young people, stating, “Every child deserves the chance to live their own personal American Dream, but our nation’s youth mental health crisis is getting in the way for far too many.” She added, “With the Stop the Scroll Act, Senator Fetterman and I are following through on the Surgeon General’s call to create a warning label for social media platforms, but we’re going further by requiring the warning label to also point users to mental health resources.”
Senator Fetterman echoed these concerns, noting the direct connection between social media and rising mental health challenges such as addiction, anxiety, and depression. “As a Senator, but more importantly, as a dad to three young kids, I feel a duty to address how dangerous unchecked social media can be for our mental health,” he said. “This bill will help kids and parents alike take control of their social media use, not the other way around.”
The Stop the Scroll Act would require the Surgeon General to develop a warning label, which the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) would enforce. The label, appearing as a pop-up when users open a social media platform, would warn of potential mental health risks and offer a link to mental health resources. Users would need to acknowledge the warning before proceeding, ensuring the message is visible and impactful.
The legislation follows a recent recommendation by U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek H. Murthy, who urged that a warning label be placed on social media platforms to inform users of mental health risks. The Stop the Scroll Act aims to take this recommendation a step further by incorporating links to mental health support.
Senator Britt stressed she has been active in addressing the dangers posed by social media. In addition to the Stop the Scroll Act, she has co-sponsored multiple bipartisan initiatives aimed at protecting children and teens online. This includes the Children and Teen’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) and the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA), both designed to enhance privacy protections and hold platforms accountable for the safety of younger users.
She also introduced the Kids Off Social Media Act with Senators Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), and Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), which seeks to prohibit children under 13 from creating social media accounts and prevent platforms from using algorithms on users under 17.
In collaboration with Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Senator Britt introduced the Youth Mental Health Research Act, aimed at guiding long-term efforts to address youth mental health challenges and improving preventive care for at-risk individuals.
As the Stop the Scroll Act advances, it highlights the growing concern over social media’s impact on mental health and the need for stronger protections, particularly for younger users.
