America is in the throes of its latest moral panic, with liberal academics and social conservatives united in warning about an addiction crisis that is threatening the social fabric of the nation. They're not warning about the waves of fentanyl overdoses, but about teen addiction to social media sites such as Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.
These critics claim these new technologies are exactly like narcotics. gambling or alcohol—in that they rewire adolescent brains and lead to depression, self-destructive behaviors, sleep disorders, and mood swings. It's all backed by reams of research and sounds rather alarming. Of course, many social critics want the government to provide solutions.
