Social media has a much bigger problem than Elon Musk. The American billionaire is railing against the Australian government and refusing to take down a violent video of the knife attack at a western Sydney church, while complaining about the “woke mind” and claiming to stand for free speech.

The furore is wonderful for Musk’s ego. The attention could be better than drugs. But here’s the truth: Musk is a small player in a big argument about social media. His site, X, has about 550 million active users each month, while Facebook has more than 3 billion and Instagram has 2 billion.

Illustration: Simon LetchCredit: Supplied

That makes Mark Zuckerberg, the Meta boss who runs Facebook and Instagram, a far greater power in changing our world. Not to mention the owners of TikTok, which has at least 1 billion monthly active users and is growing fast. Or Snapchat, with 750 million.

The argument about the violent video is urgent and important. But what if the greater danger is slow and insidious? What if social media apps, running on smartphones, are inflicting lasting damage on young children?

That is the warning in a new book about a disturbing increase in depression and anxiety after the arrival of the iPhone in 2007 and the explosion in social media apps soon afterwards. The Anxious Generation is by social psychologist Jonathan Haidt, a professor at New York University’s Stern School of Business. It is a good book, and it warrants a serious debate.

Haidt cites case studies like Alexis Spence, who found an easy way to get around her parents when she wanted to sign up for Instagram. She lied about her age, got the app and used a common trick to hide it on her home screen. Aged 11, she leapt into an exciting but sometimes toxic world. A decade later, she is one of thousands of Americans suing Zuckerberg’s company for damaging their mental health.

Jonathan Haidt argues that social media’s impact has been most pronounced among girls because they use the platforms more.Credit: Peter Rae

Aren’t parents responsible for their kids? Yes, of course. But we all know that children will sneak past parental controls. In any case, parents may choose to give their kids an iPhone to stay in touch with friends. It has taken time to shatter the illusion that the product is safe.

Haidt tells this story with charts that prove the harm to young people. He shows increases in major depression among teens, mental illness among American college students, anxiety among the young and suicide rates for young adolescents.