For years, social media use was seen as a personal decision: time spent on it was the user’s responsibility.
One could speak of a social media “addiction,” but as a form of social judgment on the user, not as a direct responsibility of the platforms. Users could be judged by society, but the user was not a victim of the platforms. Now, that has changed.
In the United States, a jury found Meta and YouTube negligent in a case that directly links them to promoting addiction among minors.
The lawsuit was filed by a young woman who started using digital platforms from a very young age, and who, over time, developed anxiety, depression, and other mental health problems, some potentially untreatable.
Until now, this type of situation used to be explained as excessive use by the user. However, the jury concluded that it was not just about user behavior, but about the very design of these platforms. They are built with mechanisms such as infinite scrolling, automatic playback, and recommendation algorithms designed to maximize time on the platform.
There are currently multiple similar demands and a growing global debate around digital platform’s effect on mental health. This could mark a turning point in the way these platforms are designed.
And that raises a question:
Isn’t it also our responsibility as people to know how to take care of our mental health?