Therapists, mental health professional reaction to landmark social media lawsuit verdict

We're getting more reaction from mental health counselors and therapists today, following a landmark verdict against social media companies Meta and Google. A California jury found that the two companies harmed young users by designing their apps to be addictive.

So how are therapists and other mental health professionals reacting to the ruling? Maria Shilaos spoke with Gregory Noel, LMFT, the clinical director of Two Brothas Counseling in Ogden. He says the decision is welcomed by the mental health community, who've been warning of the addictive nature of social media for years now.

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RESOURCES:

Digital Brain Fog: How Tech Is Rewiring Your Focus and Mood (Dr. Tracey Marks):

https://youtu.be/JU3h-qzmeXk?si=7Elbb2rqIukHGqL9   

Technology-induced ADHD/ digital brain fog

Mechanism 1: Attention residue (residue of the 1st task lingers even after switching from one task to another)

Mechanism 2: Dopamine hijacking (brain starts craving a quick burst of novelty, overstimulated and undersatisfied)

Mechanism 3: Default mode network disruption (time when the brain is at rest, consistent tech access keeps this offline)

Mechanism 4: Prefrontal cortex overload (this has limited fuel; tech is rapidly draining this)

Strategy 1: Set digital boundaries

Strategy 2: Attention training (focus sprints)

Strategy 3: Notification triage

Strategy 4: Transition rituals

As a respected journalist, Maria Shilaos has earned the trust of listeners across Utah. Her show isn’t just about the news—it’s about the people behind it. Join her each weekday as she digs deeper, asks the important questions, and shares the stories that connect us all.