A recent survey by Boston University’s College of Communication reveals strong bipartisan support for social media platforms to include warning labels on posts promoting nicotine, vaping, and tobacco products. Additionally, respondents expressed widespread concern about the mental health impact of social media on adolescents and advocated for Surgeon General warnings to be displayed on social platforms.
The findings are part of Boston University’s ongoing Media & Technology survey, conducted from September 6 to 9, 2024, with a nationally representative sample of 1,005 American adults. The survey, led by Professor Traci Hong, PhD., underscores growing public demand for increased regulation of social media content related to both synthetic nicotine and the platforms themselves.
“The Surgeon General’s call for warning labels on social media is straight from the tobacco playbook when the government required warning labels on tobacco products,” said Hong. “They work, but they are not widely used on social media where vaping is promoted.”
Bipartisan Agreement on Health Warnings
A striking 12-to-1 majority of survey respondents agreed that social media platforms should be required to include warning labels on posts promoting synthetic nicotine. Synthetic nicotine, a lab-produced form of nicotine commonly used in vaping products, has drawn concern for its addictive properties, particularly among younger users.
The survey also revealed that by a margin of almost 16 to 1, Americans believe that social media influencers should disclose when they have been paid or received goods in exchange for promoting a product. With influencers playing a significant role in shaping youth behavior, the lack of transparency around product promotions has been flagged as a serious issue.
Mental Health and Social Media Use Among Adolescents
Concerns over the mental health impact of social media use on adolescents were also front and center. By a margin of 8 to 1, survey participants agreed that social media platforms should carry a Surgeon General’s warning label about the mental health risks associated with excessive use among teenagers.
This finding echoes growing concerns across the public and private sectors about the negative effects of social media on young people’s mental well-being, particularly in light of increasing rates of anxiety, depression, and other mental health challenges.
Vaping and Tobacco Content on Social Media
The timing of the survey coincides with a peer-reviewed study published in JAMA Network Open, co-authored by Hong, which found that 87% of sponsored posts promoting synthetic nicotine brands failed to comply with FDA health warning requirements. The study highlights the widespread flouting of federal regulations regarding tobacco product advertising on social media, raising the urgency for more stringent enforcement and labeling requirements.
Survey respondents showed strong support for these regulatory changes, with 74% agreeing that social media platforms should be required to have warning labels on posts promoting any tobacco product.
Call for Increased Transparency
Hong emphasized that while there is broad agreement on the need for greater safeguards, more transparency is also needed in the promotion of products by influencers on social media. “Whether the compensation is monetary or otherwise, they should disclose such exchanges,” Hong added.
In an election year where the country remains deeply divided on many issues, the survey results show rare bipartisan consensus on the need for social media companies to do more to protect youth from the harms of vaping and the mental health risks associated with excessive social media use.
Survey Methodology
The survey was conducted using Ipsos eNation Omnibus, a nationally representative online survey weighted by education and party affiliation. It had a credibility interval (CI) of plus or minus 3.5 percentage points, and the data were weighted to match U.S. population demographics.
The results come at a pivotal moment in the ongoing conversation about the role of social media in public health, particularly in relation to adolescent users and the increasing popularity of vaping products.
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