It's Been a Minute What really counts as social media "addiction?"
15 snips
Feb 20, 2026 
Dr. Carl Erik Fisher, an addiction psychiatrist and author, offers a nuanced view of addiction as a spectrum. Shannon Bond, an NPR technology correspondent, breaks down lawsuits claiming platforms engineered addictive features. They discuss how algorithms, legal fights, and policy options could reshape what we call addiction. Short, clear takes on personal strategies and systemic fixes.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Child As Mirror
- Shannon Bond's nine-year-old told her to delete Instagram from her phone because she used it too much.
- She removed it and says she sleeps better and feels less distracted.
Design Features Under Legal Scrutiny
- Lawsuits claim Meta, YouTube, TikTok and Snapchat intentionally engineered addictive features like infinite scroll and notifications.
- Plaintiffs link those designs to rising youth anxiety, depression, body dysmorphia and other harms.
Internal Documents Tell A Story
- Plaintiffs rely on internal company documents showing research and communications about keeping users engaged.
- Some documents describe product parts working like a slot machine and aiming to increase youth usage.