He went after social media. AI is next. (with Jonathan Haidt) | The Conversation
Summary
Dasha Burns interviews psychologist Jonathan Haidt about his book *The Anxious Generation* and the global movement to restrict smartphones and social media for children. Haidt discusses bipartisan political support, citing Australia’s age-verification laws and France’s regulatory efforts as turning points. He addresses criticisms regarding causality, arguing that experimental evidence proves social media harms youth mental health and cognition. The conversation also covers the emerging threats of AI and the need for legal accountability for tech companies.
Topics discussed
Intro: AI threats and the rise of a global movement
From book to political movement: Bipartisan support
Cognitive harms of TikTok and short-form video
Federal legislation and bipartisan consensus
AI risks and the end of techno-optimism
Addressing causation vs. correlation criticism
Peter Gray critique: Freedom vs. safety
Australia's social media ban and industry impact
Constitutional challenges and age verification
Legal battles, lobbying, and the dumb phone trend
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