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Connections

Social Media Warning Labels

Three women wearing headphones sit at a table in a radio talk studio: a woman at left has long brown hair and is wearing glasses, a black sleeveless top and a turquoise necklace; a woman at center has short blonde hair and is wearing glasses and a black short-sleeved shirt; a woman at right has very short blonde hair and is wearing a purple dress.
Mitch Herring
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WXXI News
Noelle Evans and Kathleen P. Allen with host Racquel Stephen on "Connections" on Tuesday, July 22, 2025
A smiling woman with short blonde hair sits at a desk in front of a microphone wearing a gold necklace and green and white patterned dress.
David Griffin
/
WXXI News
Racquel Stephen guest hosting "Connections with Evan Dawson"

New York lawmakers have passed a bill that would require mental health warning labels on social media platforms with “addictive” design. It's a first-in-the-nation move.

Supporters say it’s a necessary step to protect young users. Critics question whether warning labels will have any real impact.

Racquel and her guests explore the potential consequences of the legislation, what the research says about tech and mental health, and how families are navigating an increasingly digital world.

Our guests:

Racquel Stephen is WXXI's health, equity and community reporter and producer. She holds a bachelor's degree in English literature from the University of Rochester and a master's degree in broadcasting and digital journalism from the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University.
Elissa Orlando is a producer for “Connections with Evan Dawson.” She returns part-time to WXXI News after stepping back from a long career in public media and in translational science.
Veronica Volk is a senior producer and editor for WXXI News.
Julie Williams is an associate producer for "Connections with Evan Dawson." She started at WXXI in 2019 and has been working on Connections since 2022.