Mental health
fromPsychology Today
6 hours agoThe Verdict on Social Media Addiction
Recent verdicts against Meta and YouTube indicate social media harm is linked to platform design, particularly affecting adolescents' mental health.
Three of the world's biggest tech companies face a landmark trial in Los Angeles starting this week over claims that their platforms - Meta's Instagram, ByteDance's TikTok and Google's YouTube - deliberately addict and harm children. Jury selection starts this week in the Los Angeles County Superior Court. It's the first time the companies will argue their case before a jury, and the outcome could have profound effects on their businesses and how they will handle children using their platforms.
Whilst many of the tools of social media - blogs, ugc, forums - are now increasingly brought into new web design and development, there are companies, from British Airways to Lego who view social media as the starting point - not the added feature. Others, such as ruumz.com, are already operating the 'next generation' of social networks with a new blend of online and offline activity.