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TED Radio Hour · February 20, 2026 · 49m

Did social media break a generation — or just change it?

Catherine Price, Jonathan Haidt, Maximilian Milovidov
Show Notes

Jonathan Haidt, Catherine Price, and Gen Z activist Maximilian Milovidov debate whether social media is rewiring childhood and fueling a teen mental health crisis—or simply exposing existing vulnerabilities. They explore the pros and cons of banning social media for minors, the shrinking idea of offline ‘fun,’ and how young people themselves feel about the phone-free movement.

This summary was generated from show notes and public descriptions, not from a full transcript review. Details may contain inaccuracies.

Highlights

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Debate: Are Social Media Bans the Right Solution for Youth Mental Health?
Jonathan Haidt argues that social media is causing a teen mental health crisis and supports restrictions, while Catherine Price and Maximilian Milovidov explore the limitations and unintended consequences of simply banning platforms.
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Screens vs. ‘Real’ Fun: Redefining What Fun Looks Like Offline
Catherine Price emphasizes the difference between passive screen time and active, engaging fun that leads to well-being.
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Gen Z Voices: The Youth Perspective on Phone Bans
Maximilian Milovidov provides a Gen Z perspective, arguing that peer pressure and fear of missing out are bigger drivers of social media use than addiction.
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Is Tech Rewiring Childhood or Exposing What’s Already Broken?
The central question: does social media cause teenage distress, or does it simply reveal and amplify existing vulnerabilities from family, school, or economic pressures?
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