The Political Scene | The New Yorker · The New Yorker

Social Media Goes to Court

March 16, 2026·28 min·2 clips

TikTok's internal report admits compulsive usage correlates with loss of empathy and increased anxiety.

David Remnick interviews social psychologist Jonathan Haidt about the harms of social media on youth mental health, discussing new lawsuits in California, Australia's age verification law, and how addiction mechanisms in tech design are undermining attention and democracy. Haidt presents evidence from internal company research and advocates for regulatory changes to protect children.

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