<p>“If we can succeed in restoring a play-based childhood, then we’re going to see, I think, big benefits to mental health.” </p><p>Jonathan Haidt Brings New Evidence to the Battle Against Social Media<br>The author of “The Anxious Generation” shares his latest research about the harms social media is doing to children.</p><p><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/16/podcasts/jonathan-haidt-new-evidence.html?unlocked_article_code=1.FFA.ND__.ZER4HyfZPmJE&smid=url-share" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="www.nytimes.com/2026/01/16/podcasts/jonathan-haidt-new-evidence.html?unlocked_article_code=1.FFA.ND__.ZER4HyfZPmJE&smid=url-share"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">www.nytimes.com/2026/01/16/pod</span><span class="invisible">casts/jonathan-haidt-new-evidence.html?unlocked_article_code=1.FFA.ND__.ZER4HyfZPmJE&smid=url-share</span></a></p><p><a href="/tags/smartphones/" rel="tag">#SmartPhones</a> <a href="/tags/socialmedia/" rel="tag">#SocialMedia</a> <a href="/tags/children/" rel="tag">#children</a> <a href="/tags/teens/" rel="tag">#teens</a> <a href="/tags/youth/" rel="tag">#youth</a> <a href="/tags/adults/" rel="tag">#adults</a> <a href="/tags/mentalhealth/" rel="tag">#MentalHealth</a> <a href="/tags/meta/" rel="tag">#Meta</a> <a href="/tags/australia/" rel="tag">#Australia</a> <a href="/tags/france/" rel="tag">#France</a> <a href="/tags/eu/" rel="tag">#EU</a> <a href="/tags/play/" rel="tag">#play</a> <a href="/tags/books/" rel="tag">#books</a> <a href="/tags/anxiety/" rel="tag">#anxiety</a> <a href="/tags/depression/" rel="tag">#depression</a> <a href="/tags/sexualharassment/" rel="tag">#SexualHarassment</a> <a href="/tags/cyberbullying/" rel="tag">#cyberbullying</a> <a href="/tags/sextortion/" rel="tag">#sextortion</a> <a href="/tags/suicide/" rel="tag">#suicide</a> <a href="/tags/aicompanions/" rel="tag">#AIcompanions</a> <a href="/tags/ai/" rel="tag">#AI</a> <a href="/tags/porn/" rel="tag">#porn</a> <a href="/tags/gambling/" rel="tag">#gambling</a> <a href="/tags/vaping/" rel="tag">#vaping</a> <a href="/tags/sportsbetting/" rel="tag">#SportsBetting</a> <a href="/tags/cryptoinvesting/" rel="tag">#CryptoInvesting</a></p>