Vivek Murthy

Clinicians & Public Health · Office of the U.S. Surgeon General (former)

Former U.S. Surgeon General who issued the 2023 advisory warning on social media and youth mental health.

Vivek Murthy served as U.S. Surgeon General and in 2023 issued a formal advisory stating that social media use is associated with risks to youth mental health — one of the highest-profile federal statements on the issue to date. In 2024 he went further, calling for tobacco-style warning labels on social media platforms so parents and teens would see those risks flagged directly on the products. As the nation's top public-health official, his advisories carried unusual institutional weight and helped move concerns about kids and social media onto the agendas of Congress, schools, and parents nationwide.