Almost everyone who is glued to their phone wishes they weren’t and for many people, the problem seems to be starting earlier. Children’s access to the internet is happening at younger ages, with an entire generation growing up alongside the rapid advancement of the digital landscape, which has only intensified with the advent of artificial intelligence. Teens and adults alike can be exposed to extremist content, violence and sexual exploitation online. The internet age has had countless positive impacts on society, but also undeniable negative impacts.
Some critics say social media addiction and worsened teen mental health are direct consequences of these platform’s design. Now they’re taking major tech companies to court — and winning. A few such groups include the plaintiffs in two tandem lawsuits against Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram and Whatsapp, whose jury trials concluded in favor of the plaintiffs March 24 and 25. Meta plans to appeal the verdicts in both cases.
