The ill effects of social media are, by now, abundantly documented. This past spring, several big studies on the toxicity of social media were released, confirming what many parents suspected. The U.S. surgeon general issued a stern warning that constant social media use seriously compromises adolescent mental health. Psychologists attribute the skyrocketing rates of teen anxiety and depression to the rise of social media and screen time.
But even if there’s a correlation between social media use and unhappiness, can we directly blame Silicon Valley for a generation of screen-addicted teens who are constantly refreshing their feeds, feeling depressed and full of self-loathing? Increasingly, the public says yes. More people are trying to hold big tech accountable for creating apps that our children can’t resist, that tap into their worst impulses.
In Quebec and B.C., a group of parents are suing Epic Games, the company behind the video game Fortnite, alleging that they deliberately designed the game to be addictive. They blame Epic for causing their children to suffer psychological, physical and financial harm.
Can a bunch of Canadian parents triumph against one of the biggest entertainment companies in America? We asked the writer (and video game enthusiast) Luc Rinaldi to explore the case, its chance of success and what it means for similar suits around the globe. “They Lost Their Kids to Fortnite” is a deep dive that captures our complicated relationship with the tech we can’t stop using.
—Sarah Fulford, editor-in-chief
