Social media: Kids are bearing the brunt of our public neglect

Evidence of harm abounds but the political will to act is still scarce

- ABBY McCLOSKEY

Creators of social media platforms have relentlessly pursued child customers and have ignored the technology's harmful effects.

Or so argue tech whistleblowers and at least some members of US Congress. In late November, court filings were unsealed that include salacious details, such as Meta requiring more than 17 human trafficking attempts before flagging an account, something verified by multiple company sources. The plaintiffs are more than 1,800 parents, school districts, teachers, states and attorneys general. They argue that the parent companies behind Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat and YouTube “relentlessly pursued a strategy of growth at all costs, recklessly ignoring the impact of their products on children’s mental and physical health.”

Tell me with a straight face that this isn't a problem. That is what a Meta spokesperson has said: “We strongly disagree with these allegations, which rely on cherry-picked quotes and misinformed opinions in an attempt to present a deliberately misleading picture.”

But this latest lawsuit is far from a one off and evidence is piling up of the negative impact of online platforms on kids.