Systemic harm: How algorithmic design and regulatory capture enable Big Tech’s exploitation of youth mental health
Original framing: “A jury says Meta and Google hurt a kid. What now?” — The Verge
The article references legal and corporate structures but does not engage deeply with scientific research on adolescent neuroplasticity, social media’s impact on mental health, or longitudinal data on platform usage.
The systemic exploitation of youth mental health by Big Tech is rooted in a convergence of legal loopholes, algorithmic design, and regulatory capture.
Without Indigenous or cross-cultural perspectives, the narrative remains narrowly legalistic, missing deeper historical and ethical dimensions. Scientific and future-modelling insights are underdeveloped, limiting the potential for systemic reform. To break this cycle, we must reframe digital platforms as public infrastructure, governed by ethical design principles, youth co-design, and legal accountability. Only by integrating these dimensions can we build a digital ecosystem that nurtures rather than exploits.