Meta and Google deserve to be sued

Are the tech giants always right and invincible? Why should they be more careful and responsible?

Originally published on Quora — https://qr.ae/pCqaVe

First of all, there are many addictive things freely available to people around the world. Some may be dirt cheap, while others are a little expensive. Most of them are highly addictive and harmful, preventing us from living a free and peaceful life. In fact, many of these should be completely banned to protect innocent human beings. If everything harmful were banned, and if we could live in a world with little scope for addiction or corruption, we would be living in a utopia. But is utopia ever possible? And is it naturally right?

Look at the ecosystem: the tiger and the lion hunt the deer for survival. Can we call this violent and gruesome, and then eliminate all carnivorous animals so herbivores can live peacefully? No, that is simply the way of life in nature. Marching toward utopia may be right, but living in it is not natural. We can appreciate coolness or warmth only if we have experienced extreme weather conditions. Similarly, it is natural to have both positive and negative influences in the world. Our prime duty is to discriminate between them and adopt what is good for us and our future.

It is the same with vegetables, pulses, cereals, fruits, nuts, gems, and stones. We must learn to isolate the good part and use it for our well-being. No one can wear gold straight from the mine; it requires processing, refinement, and craftsmanship to reveal its beauty and value.

AI‑generated illustration by Copilot AI

Therefore, the first step is to teach our youngsters how to separate good from bad before exposing them to the world. Many countries have recently recognised this concept. For example, Australia plans to ban social media for children under 16. Why is this so important? Because young people are exposed to everything before they learn to distinguish right from wrong. If someone argues that this curtails freedom of expression, I ask: Why do you send your children to school? Schools are among the few places not yet fully invaded by modern technology in children’s hands (I am not referring to elite institutions or Western-style education, where unrestricted access is common, as shown in the acclaimed series Adolescence).

We also know that very few parents have a genuine bond with their children. Parents must be role models, understanding the needs and expectations of the modern generation, balancing both, and keeping children under their protective wings until they are ready to face the world. Only then can they identify and isolate good from evil and lead a happy, peaceful life.

Now, coming to the lawsuits against Meta and Google for their addictive apps (Instagram and YouTube Shorts): why are they liable? In today’s fast-paced world, no one — not even the young — can completely shut themselves off from modern technology. Were radio, TV, or air conditioning meant only for adults? Even print media contains harmful content, yet we don’t blame it as much as social media. Why? Because reading requires effort and choice, whereas social media invades every corner of the home — TVs, PCs, tablets, mobiles — and is nearly unavoidable.

In fact, the first thing a child often learns when holding a mobile phone is how to choose the app they want. This invention is here to stay, accessible to all. The real problem lies in the clever engineering of reels and shorts, designed to keep users endlessly scrolling — especially young ones who don’t even realise what they are doing is harmful.

It is like placing a plate full of candies in front of children and saying, “Don’t eat them; they’re bad for your health.” Why place them there in the first place, knowing they are harmful? The mobile phone is that plate — it can serve healthy or unhealthy content. Parents are helpless. Why do business tycoons design it this way? Because every view means money for them. They don’t care about society’s well-being. Only if they lose loved ones to this addiction might they learn a lesson. Otherwise, it is up to the general public to raise questions and demand change for a better, healthier young society free from social media addiction.