There was a recent case in which Meta Platforms and Google were ordered to pay a woman $6 million in damages after a jury found that her early and prolonged exposure to their platforms contributed to depression and anxiety that began in childhood. What makes the case especially compelling is not just the outcome, but the volume of evidence suggesting that companies like Meta Platforms and Snap Inc. were aware their products could be harmful to young users, yet continued to design features that encouraged prolonged engagement.
At a surface level, it raises a difficult and uncomfortable question: how does a child as young as six become so deeply immersed in platforms like YouTube, and later Instagram, that it escalates into something described as addiction by age nine? I would be looking at the child’s home life, specifically the parents.
From that perspective, it’s fair to argue that if a child is seeking escape, validation, or stimulation, and those needs aren’t being met elsewhere, they may latch onto whatever outlet is available, whether that’s social media, gaming, or something else entirely. In that sense, the platforms could be seen as less than the root cause. The woman can easily become addicted to anything else if the platforms didn’t exist.
At the same time, the legal argument in this case hinges on something more specific: not just that the child used these platforms excessively, but that the platforms were intentionally engineered to be difficult to disengage from, especially for young, impressionable users. The claim isn’t simply that the product was available, but that it was designed in a way that amplified compulsive use, particularly in a demographic less equipped to regulate it.
That brings us to the second point. Proving that a product contributed to harm is one thing; proving that it directly caused specific mental health outcomes is another. Depression and anxiety are multifactorial. Genetics, family dynamics, trauma, personality, social environment, and developmental factors all interact in ways that are difficult to disentangle. Even heavy social media use can be both a cause and a symptom, sometimes a coping mechanism rather than the origin of distress.
What makes this case so interesting is that it doesn’t offer a clean answer. It sits right at the intersection of personal responsibility, parental oversight, and corporate accountability. You can reasonably argue that parents should control access and set boundaries. You can also argue that corporations have a duty not to exploit known psychological vulnerabilities, particularly in children.
In Australia, social media has already been banned for minors aged 16 and under. But is this really the solution to social media addiction? Raising the legal age worked to reduce tobacco and alcohol use, so it’s tempting to apply the same logic here. However, social media is fundamentally different. It’s more accessible, more embedded in daily life, and far harder to regulate. Kids are also resourceful; they often find ways around restrictions, just as they do with cigarettes and alcohol.
Okay, I went on a bit of a tangent about social media. I do think it can be addictive, but like anything with that potential, it needs to be used intentionally and in moderation. At some point, it becomes a question of control: are you using it, or is it using you?
That leads to a bigger question: when something is addictive, do you place the responsibility on the person or on the product?
I’m participating in a parole hearing next week for a drunk driver. Three years ago, he tried to argue that he shouldn’t be held fully responsible because he was “insane” when he chose to drink and drive. That claim doesn’t sit right with me. For adults, I tend to believe there has to be personal accountability for addiction and the choices that come with it. For children, though, it feels different; they’re more vulnerable, and I think the responsibility leans much more heavily on the product and the environment around them.
And actual insane people don’t claim insanity. They don’t know they are insane!
What also stands out to me is his lack of remorse. He doesn’t seem to take responsibility for the harm he caused, and that makes the question of whether he should be released even more complicated. I just don’t know if he does reenter the public, will he continue to cause more harm to others?
Sigh. I’m ranting too much. But I’m nervous about next week. I guess whatever happens will happen. I wonder if the other family will be at the hearing. Kevin’s coworker was in the car as well and also passed away. I wonder if they wrote a letter also. I told Kevin’s foster dad and brother about the hearing. I don’t see his brother participating in the hearing, but maybe his foster dad will be there.
Not much is going on today. I’ve been studying and should put away the laundry soon. Everest is not here today. Chris and his grandpa are both sick. They think it has to do with what they ate the night before. They went out for Mexican food. Maybe it didn’t sit right with them.
I’m thinking of having some soup for lunch. We are almost out of eggs, so I don’t want to use them. We don’t have any leftovers in the house. We are out of coffee pods. I’ve been using the French press for coffee. I should get some food and then get back to studying. Then later this afternoon, I will put the clothes away.
The closer we get to the hearing, the more my mind keeps replaying everything that happened after the accident. It took days before they could confirm Kevin’s identity. They couldn’t recognize him because of his burns, so they had to rely on dental records. We had to track them down ourselves, and in the end, his foster dad was the one who remembered the name of Kevin’s old dentist.
I put the clothes away, and I feel a little better. I got something done. Now I’m wondering what we’re having for dinner tonight. Part of me really wants to bake something too… maybe bread, or cookies.
In the Final Fantasy XIV cookbook (yes, really), and I’ve been wanting to get the second edition. It has a recipe for chocolate chip cookies with espresso in them. I want to make them.
