Courts weigh whether social platforms are addictive in youth mental-health lawsuits

Lawsuits against Meta and YouTube (and earlier settlements with Snap and TikTok) allege social networks harmed minors’ mental health, but experts say proving true addiction is difficult and research shows mixed, often small population-level effects. The debate centers on whether features like endless scrolling and algorithmic amplification constitute addiction or problematic use, with calls for regulation despite recognition of potential harms and benefits from social media.