Social Media Harms: Hard to Ignore, Tougher to Regulate The recent lawsuits and settlements against Meta, YouTube, TikTok, and other social media platforms have exposed a harsh reality: their engagement driven business models are designed to be addictive, particularly among young people.
The debate around regulating these companies is more complex than it seems. Governments worldwide have struggled to keep pace with the rapidly changing technology landscape for over a decade.
Policymakers face a daunting task in understanding and addressing the long term effects of social media on users' mental health, self esteem, and relationships.