Lawfare Daily New Research Exposes Social Media's Hidden Costs
Nov 28, 2025
Delve into the hidden effects of short-form social media on attention spans, mental health, and creativity. Discover alarming insights from leaked internal research indicating these platforms can be as addictive as drugs. Learn about global policies aimed at protecting youth, including age-verification initiatives and treating social media like tobacco. Explore practical solutions like detoxing from apps and encouraging boredom to enhance focus. Plus, hear about the responsibilities of creators in shaping our digital landscape.
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Boredom’s Hidden Cognitive Role
- Modern short-form social media has effectively eliminated authentic boredom from daily life.
- That lost boredom used to enable imagination, problem-solving, and self-reflection.
Host Admits Participation In Attention Economy
- The speaker admits he makes a living from short videos that capture massive watch time.
- He contrasts his role in the attention economy with the realization that the system trades time for engagement.
Platforms Know Their Products Harm Users
- Internal Meta research compared Instagram to a drug and found breaks reduced depression and anxiety.
- The company allegedly suppressed the findings while publicly claiming uncertainty about harm.