Honestly, we don’t always realize how much time we spend on screens, doomscrolling, watching videos one after one. Some of the content we watch could be relevant, and some of it is just mindless time‑pass, and we know that perfectly well. But we still keep scrolling anyway.
The incident that put social media on trial
In a Los Angeles courtroom earlier this week, a judge unscrolled a verdict that shook both the Meta and YouTube executives and drew the attention of legal professionals. A civil jury pointed out that both tech firms were negligent in the design and operation of their platforms.
The core point of the jurors is that Meta and YouTube have addictive qualities that cause real harm to users. And, this is exactly what happened to a 20-year-old woman. The woman suffered from depression and anxiety from social media as a kid. Now she has been awarded with $6 million as compensation for damages.
The parents moved to court in 2023, filing a lawsuit against Meta and YouTube for the alleged repercussions caused by the platforms.
Tech giants push back
However, Meta and YouTube have their own arguments. Representatives from both the firms quickly expressed disagreement.
According to a spokesperson, the girl’s mental health is “profoundly complex and cannot be linked to a single app.” Meta executive added that they will continue to protect themselves as every case is different, and “we remain confident in our record of protecting teens online.”
Google, which is also a parent company of YouTube, like META, said the video streaming platform is built responsibly, and challenged the court ruling.
Importantly, these high-profile firms spoke out firmly about existing safety features like parental controls, content filters, and time limits. However, for the judge, these features were insufficient to prevent teen users from overconsumption of content.
Echoes outside the courtroom
In fact, advocates and parents grouped outside the Los Angeles courthouse, praising the judge and his decision. Some of them realized excessive screen time leads to anxiety and aftereffects that impacted school and social life.
Even different campaign groups called for stringent restrictions on social media. Child advocacy groups in Calgary, Canada, are also celebrating the landmark verdict that put Meta and YouTube under tighter scrutiny.
Prolonged social media use may affect mental health
Long time on screens, especially social media, can decline the mental health of users. To substantiate this, a longitudinal research article published on Springer Nature Link showed that kids using higher total screen time were more likely to develop symptoms of depression, somatic issues, and attention deficits.
However, not all children may show these symptoms, as the impact often varies depending on individual factors.
For a different perspective, AltCoin Desk reached out to professional parents to understand their views on social media’s influence on children. We asked whether social media apps are designed to keep kids engaged for extended periods.
Replying to this, a parent and former medical practitioner said that social media platforms are designed to maximize user engagement through endless scrolling, maintaining streaks, and other reward systems.
While tech companies should not be fully held accountable, they do have a significant responsibility in ensuring safety by design and abiding by legislation. “Other stakeholders like parents, schools ( education on digital safety), and governments ( legislation), should also bear responsibility”, added the parent.
Another parent, who is a fitness trainer, opined that the developers behind the technology are, in fact, aware of how these platforms are designed. “This was very consciously engineered into our mental system”, she commented, and “that’s why we, especially kids, become addicted to social media platforms.”
However, parents also have a responsibility to take care of their children and protect them from excessive screen time. They can involve their children in other activities, for instance, martial arts, and show them the energy channeled through such activities. That said, engaging in physical activities or hobbies does not mean children must be completely kept away from screen time usage, said the parent
