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Haidt Claims Social Media Companies Used Word Addiction Until 2019 Memo

The Checkup with Doctor Mike · An Honest Conversation About Looksmaxxing | Jonathan Haidt · June 24, 2026
Haidt Claims Social Media Companies Used Word Addiction Until 2019 Memo
The Checkup with Doctor Mike
The Checkup with Doctor Mike
An Honest Conversation About Looksmaxxing | Jonathan Haidt
"We have internal documents from all of them about how they were trying to hook kids. They used the word addiction, until I think in 2019 Meta sent out a memo saying, do not use the word addiction anymore because it could show up in documents. Call it problematic use."
Jonathan Haidt revealed that internal documents from Meta, Snapchat, TikTok, and YouTube show these companies deliberately used the term addiction when discussing their platforms' effects on children until Meta circulated a 2019 memo instructing employees to use problematic use instead to avoid legal liability. This revelation came from thousands of lawsuits filed by parents against these four companies.
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The Checkup with Doctor Mike
The Checkup with Doctor Mike

An Honest Conversation About Looksmaxxing | Jonathan Haidt

August 3, 2026 · 5 Egleze moments
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