The social dilemma

Rausch and Haidt on social media reform

”What forces can possibly incentivize or force Meta, TikTok, and the rest to make changes that would benefit adolescent mental health or the stability of and viability of liberal democracy? Market forces are not working because, as Tristan Harris and other experts explained in The Social Dilemma, social media has put us all into a social dilemma, also known as a collective action problem: it’s hard for anyone to quit as long as everyone else is on a platform. It’s hard for any parent to say no as long as a child says that “everyone else” in her class is on Instagram. But if we could all coordinate, we could escape from the trap.

”The main tool that modern societies use to solve collective action problems—especially when children are being harmed—is the law. Laws set boundaries and minimum standards, creating a fair, safe, level playing field on which companies can innovate and compete. We simply don’t allow harmful products to be sold to minors. We don’t allow companies to expose children to danger, especially without the knowledge and consent of their parents.”