Are they separable? Teens in particular appear to be bad for each other's mental health. Connectivity increases that effect, anonymity makes it worse, likes and other status features makes it worse still. Not sure where you draw a line between not quite bad enough and too bad.

It doesn’t help there are algorithms designed to keep them looking at things that aren’t great for them to be looking at though does it. Can you provide an example in the past wheee this has existed before outside of big tech ?

I wasn’t arguing that this was just as bad before. It’s clearly all made worse and accelerated by social media calling engagement and ad dollars above all.

Historically the victims of contagion have been oldsters in a moral panic. This time I think it is actually true - there’s a mind virus loose.