Jonathan Haidt, a social psychologist and the Thomas Cooley Professor of Ethical Leadership at New York University’s Stern School of Business, delivered a compelling lecture on the adverse effects of smartphones and social media on cognition, civic engagement, and children’s wellbeing at MIT’s Compton Lecture Series. He emphasized a need for action to counter these negative impacts, warning that current trends may be exacerbated by the rise of AI, potentially accelerating the decline of human cognition and happiness.

Haidt, author of “The Anxious Generation,” which links social media use in the 2010s to increased anxiety and depression, especially among young women, has expanded his focus to include broader societal issues. He argues that excessive smartphone and social media use detracts from human attention spans, impairing the ability to focus and complete tasks, which he sees as a significant threat to collective intelligence and competence.

Haidt acknowledges technology’s benefits but stresses the importance of mitigating its harmful effects. He calls for human agency to address these issues, urging action from the audience to alter detrimental trends. His lecture highlighted declines in cognition and happiness since smartphones became widespread in the 2010s, compounded by the integration of internet-connected devices in education, which Haidt describes as a significant error that reversed decades of educational progress.

He noted that while top students continue to excel, overall proficiency has declined, and many students struggle with tasks requiring sustained attention. Haidt does not blame Gen Z individuals for these trends, instead pointing to societal decisions that handed over control of children’s attention to technology companies, resulting in diminished reading habits and shorter attention spans.

The lecture also explored social media’s impact on global democracy, linking it to increased misinformation and online conflict, which have eroded common truths and stories. Haidt warned that AI could further degrade interpersonal interactions. To counteract these challenges, he advocates for a more skeptical view of high-tech innovations and suggests practical measures like restricting smartphone and social media access for children and creating phone-free school environments.

In response to the issues raised by Haidt, some regions have implemented policies limiting technology use among youth. Haidt concludes that despite the challenges, human agency provides a pathway to address the tech-induced problems society faces.

Source: MIT News
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https://news.mit.edu/2026/personal-tech-social-media-and-humanity-decline-0306