Constant mobile internet use has a range of serious problematic effects on attention and mental health.

Recent research finds that short breaks in smartphone use can make measurable positive differences.

Much of the damage caused by addictive engagement with smartphones may be repaired in as little as two weeks.

It’s long been known that social media technology and the platforms that support it have significant addictive qualities. These include obsessive thoughts, compulsive engagement, progressively increased use and involvement, decreased connection with family and in-person friends, reduced school (and sometimes work) performance, fragmented attention, increased anxiety, depression, and feelings of isolation, low self-esteem, reduced sleep quality, and higher perceived stress.1

On March 24, 2026, a New Mexico jury found Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, liable for misleading users about the safety of its platforms and failing to protect minors from sexual exploitation and harmful content, imposing a $375 million penalty. The jury determined that Meta prioritized profits over child safety, engaging in "unconscionable" trade practices and concealing known risks from the public.

The next day, on March 25, in California, a young woman who argued that the addictive effects of social media had caused her substantial harm was awarded $6 million after a jury found Meta and Google, the parent company of YouTube, liable. The ruling reflects a growing recognition that constant connectivity doesn’t just shape behavior; it often comes with serious psychological and functional costs. These verdicts mark a tipping point in the effort to hold big tech companies accountable for products that appear to be deliberately designed to be addictive.

Research on Phones and........

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