When screens turn toxic

In a development that could prove historic, two landmark judgments in the US held social media giants Meta and Google liable for hundreds of millions of dollars in damages for psychological harm caused to young users of their platforms.

- BAIJAYANT 'JAY' PANDA

It was a ruling long anticipated by parents, educators and mental health professionals—and one that is certain to open a hornet's nest of litigation across the world. The implications are profound. Social media has become ubiquitous across societies, and nowhere more so than among younger generations. Gen Z has grown up in a digital ecosystem where social validation, entertainment and identity formation are closely intertwined with screens. Over the past decade, studies have steadily accumulated linking excessive social media engagement to rising levels of depression, anxiety and other mental health challenges among young adults.

The numbers are worrying. Globally, young people now spend an average of about 4.5 hours daily on social media platforms. Usage varies widely—from roughly 1.5 hours a day in Japan to nearly 4.8 hours in the US—while India averages close to four hours daily. For context, a recent Gallup poll shows that those limiting usage to under one hour a day report the highest levels of wellbeing.