Tech’s big tobacco moment: problems and solutions

The attention economy has long been the golden goose of Silicon Valley, but the goose is starting to look more like an albatross. Users can’t put their phones down, algorithms rule our lives and human self-control often feels digitally outmatched. SN’s Sujata Gupta covers the youth mental health crisis attributed to social media addiction.

📜 The science of the scroll

Every scroll is a pull of the lever; our phones have become pocket-sized slot machines powered by rewards (likes, notifications or viral videos) provided at unpredictable intervals in an infinite loop. Research shows that preteens who have a hard time logging off have more mental health problems than their peers a year later. With a growing consensus that these designs mimic the neurological patterns of gambling addiction, the legal landscape is shifting.

🚬 Tech’s big tobacco moment

The social media industry is currently undergoing its “Big Tobacco” comeuppance, with real costs to pay. As juries begin to find tech giants liable for the mental health effects of their products, the necessity for tech-enabled guardrails has moved from a niche ethical concern to a core business requirement. To avoid multibillion dollar litigation, platforms are developing digital throttles — features that verify user age more strictly, limit late-night usage via AI-driven nudges and provide transparent usage audits.