To the editor: As an advocate of free speech as guaranteed by the 1st Amendment, I disagree with the jury’s verdict, and am very concerned for the future of internet freedom (“Landmark L.A. jury verdict finds Instagram, YouTube were designed to addict kids,” March 25).
I don’t know what the plaintiff’s early history was that could have contributed to the psychological problems she described, but I do know one thing: Social media companies are certainly not responsible for that.
I am not talking just about the plaintiff in this case. It is the job of parents to teach their children the difference between right and wrong, and cultivate in them a strong will to avoid addictive behaviors. Parents need to keep an eye on their children’s viewing activities and set the limits. As children turn into teenagers, they should be learning to set their own limits.
At the end of the day, individuals need to be able to resist wrong or unsuitable behaviors on their own. This includes not just “bad” speech, but also government overreach in many areas.
Alice Lillie, Pomona
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To the editor: I couldn’t agree more with guest contributor Daniel Katz (“Social media platforms aren’t the new cigarettes. They’re worse,” March 25). Social platforms are worse than cigarettes and I’d like to see the platforms and the companies that run them face penalties and bans like cigarette companies.
No use in certain public places. Sure, that one will be hard to police because anyone on their phone in a restaurant can say they’re texting a friend, but it’s a start. Get the ban on the books so public perception of these platforms goes the way of Big Tobacco. And how about a warning label anytime a user pulls up one of these sites? “Warning: This site is known to be potentially hazardous to your health. Proceed with extreme caution.”
And may the lawsuits and monetary judgments continue.
Craig Rosen, Los Angeles