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Published February 25th, 2026, 09:38 pm

Research shows social media activates the same dopamine-driven reward pathways in the brain as addictive substances — and the average American teen spends nearly five hours a day on these platforms. The U.S. Surgeon General has warned that teens who use social media for more than three hours a day face double the risk of depression and anxiety.

Now the courts are getting involved: in Los Angeles, a jury is hearing claims that Meta and YouTube deliberately designed their platforms to addict children.  In New Mexico, the state AG is suing Meta for allegedly failing to protect minors from sexual exploitation.

Michigan just banned smartphones in the classroom — a law that takes effect this fall. The lawmaker who wrote the bill, Republican State Representative Mark Tisdel of Rochester Hills, joins host Robyn Vincent to discuss what it takes to protect kids from platforms built to hook them.

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The Metro

The dopamine loop kids can't escape, and what Michigan is doing about it

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21m