Congress mandates mental health warnings on social media—every hour.
S. 1885 — Stop the Scroll Act · Filed by Katie Britt (R-AL) · 4 cosponsors · Introduced May 22, 2025 · Reported out
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What it does
This bill requires social media and anonymous content-sharing platforms to display a prominent mental health warning label every time a U.S. user accesses the platform, and again after each hour of continuous use. The label must warn of mental health risks and provide access to the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. The FTC and Surgeon General will write the rules within 180 days; platforms cannot hide the label in hyperlinks or terms of service, and users cannot disable it. Violations are treated as unfair trade practices, enforceable by the FTC and state attorneys general.
Why we flagged it
The bill's operative mechanism is a mandatory warning label requirement modeled on tobacco and alcohol disclosures. It is a transparency and informed-consent measure, not a ban, tax, or subsidy. The framing as a mental health protection aligns with the actual mechanism.
What the text implies
- The 'acknowledge and proceed' mechanism may create a false sense of user consent, potentially shielding platforms from future liability claims if users click through the warning—a de facto liability reduction not explicitly stated in the bill.
- Redisplay after each hour of continuous use could be circumvented by platforms through UI design (e.g., auto-refresh, modal placement) without violating the letter of the law, reducing practical effectiveness.
The full analysis lists 5 implications of this text.
Who stands to gain
Mental health crisis services (988 Lifeline, related nonprofits); Compliance and regulatory consulting firms