Why social media harms are hard to regulate

Social media's business model of constant engagement has come under intense scrutiny for allegedly enabling addiction, self-harm, and suicide, particularly among younger users. Companies like Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok generate significant profits through nonstop scrolling, personalized recommendations, and frequent notifications.

This model has led to a surge in legal and regulatory challenges, with bans on social media for users under 16 being implemented globally and numerous lawsuits in the United States. Recently, 29 states sued Meta, alleging that the company designed its platforms to addict young users. In response to these legal pressures, Meta agreed to pay up to $18 billion and implement usage limits and nighttime restrictions for teens.

Despite tightening regulations, policymakers find it difficult to keep pace with rapidly evolving technology. Studies have shown that social media use in teenagers is linked to increased anxiety, depression, and body dissatisfaction. Meta's internal documents have also revealed connections between Instagram use and body-image and mental health issues in teenage girls.

To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video. Experts argue that companies operating at such a scale and with such influence over people's lives must adhere to basic safety standards, similar to those applied to other consumer products. However, the rapid pace of technological advancement and the mounting evidence of harm have led some, like social psychologist Jonathan Haidt, to be optimistic about the prospects of passing comprehensive legislation to protect children.

Others, like psychology professor Cornelia Sindermann, suggest that consumers might be willing to pay for alternative social media models with stronger safeguards, although it is doubtful that these alternatives would replace the most popular platforms. Another concern for policymakers is the significant investment of billions of dollars in artificial intelligence (AI) by social media companies, which provides valuable behavioral data for AI development.

As these tech giants expand their influence into AI, concerns grow about the potential for flawed practices from social media to be replicated in more powerful AI products, raising questions about the ability of companies to consistently prioritize public interest without government intervention.