The piece argues that courts alone aren’t enough; there should be comprehensive regulation with legally binding standards for platform design, age verification, algorithmic transparency, data protection for minors, independent auditing bodies, and possible criminal liability for executives who conceal harm.

A landmark verdict sequence in California and New Mexico finds Meta and YouTube liable for harming children, ruling their platforms were negligently designed to be addictive and awarding damages totaling millions for a single plaintiff.

The cases criticize weak safeguards for minors on social media, noting lax age enforcement and exposure to harmful content, drawing a parallel to the big tobacco settlements of the 1990s.

The closing message stresses that the internet brings benefits but requires robust accountability and regulation of platforms to protect children, not punishment of the children themselves.

The broader policy debate centers on regulating platforms rather than blaming children, with the EU's Digital Services Act cited as a model to require age verification, private-by-default accounts for minors, ban profiling-based ads to minors, and mandate risk assessments, though enforcement remains imperfect.

Evidence highlights addictive design features such as infinite scrolling, auto-play, and algorithm-driven recommendations, along with extensive data harvesting from children, raising questions about consent and exploitation.

Governance recommendations include using the EU’s Digital Services Act as a model, strengthening child protection laws like the Kids Online Safety Act in the U.S., and ensuring meaningful participation from children, educators, mental health professionals, and civil society in product design and safety policymaking.

AI chatbots are flagged as an emerging risk, with instances of harm and suicidality linked to interactions with AI companions, underscoring the need for stronger safety policies and oversight of new technologies.