Challenges in Regulating Social Media's Impact on Youth

Meta and other social media platforms are facing lawsuits that allege they promote addictive usage among young people. Regulators are struggling to address the engagement-driven business models of these platforms. Concerns about addiction, self-harm, and suicide have led to scrutiny of social media strategies that may encourage compulsive use and psychological harm, particularly among children. Platforms such as Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok generate significant profits by keeping users engaged through features like endless scrolling and notifications. For instance, Meta reported a record $196.2 billion in advertising revenue in the previous year, largely due to its ability to retain user attention. This business model now encounters legal and regulatory challenges, with increasing social media bans for users under 16 and a rise in lawsuits, particularly in the United States. Recently, 29 states, including California, Colorado, and New Jersey, filed a lawsuit against Meta, claiming the platform was designed to addict young users. In a settlement announced on August 23, 2026, Meta agreed to pay up to $18 billion to 47 states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. territories, which includes a $1 billion settlement with Texas. The company also committed to implementing usage limits and restricting access for teens during nighttime. Despite tightening regulations over the past decade, governments are finding it challenging to keep pace with rapidly evolving technology. Several studies have linked social media use among teenagers to heightened anxiety, depression, and body dissatisfaction. Leaked documents from Meta in 2021 revealed that researchers found connections between Instagram use and mental health issues among certain teenage girls. According to market intelligence firm Sensor Tower, U.S. teens are projected to spend about 90 minutes daily on TikTok by 2025. Tests conducted by organizations like Amnesty International in 2023 indicated that TikTok's algorithm could recommend videos related to depression and self-harm to users engaging with mental health content. Camille Carlton, senior director of strategy and impact at the Center for Humane Technology, emphasized the need for companies with significant influence over people's lives to adhere to basic safety standards, similar to those applied to cars, medications, and children's toys. There is growing bipartisan support in the U.S. for stricter regulations to protect children from social media-related harms, as evidenced by the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA). This legislation aims to establish stronger safety measures for minors and provide parents with enhanced tools to manage their children's accounts. Social psychologist Jonathan Haidt expressed optimism about the potential for significant legislation to be passed in the next Congressional session, citing the rapid advancement of technology and mounting evidence of harm. KOSA could impose a duty of care on tech companies to foresee and mitigate potential harm. In Germany, Cornelia Sindermann, a psychology professor at Charlotte Fresenius Hochschule in Heidelberg, has been researching users' attitudes toward alternative social media models, including subscription plans to eliminate ads, which Meta has been testing in the European Union and the United Kingdom. Sindermann's 2024 research indicated that over half of adults and two-thirds of adolescents would consider paying for a public-service version of social media platforms with enhanced safeguards. While social media companies may adapt their business models and explore new revenue streams, Sindermann expressed skepticism that these alternatives would replace the most popular platforms. Additionally, the same social media platforms that billions use are investing heavily in artificial intelligence (AI) projects, raising concerns about the regulation of these powerful technologies. Analysts suggest that social media data is valuable for AI development, but the flawed practices that have characterized social media may also be present in emerging AI products. Carlton noted that as social media competes for attention, AI is positioned to impact human thought, behavior, and relationships in unprecedented ways. She cautioned that when the incentives of a product do not align with human well-being, it is unrealistic to expect companies to prioritize public interest independently.