Teen social media bans miss the growing threat of AI chatbots

Legislation banning teenagers from social media platforms is overlooking a parallel and growing concern: young people's increasing dependence on AI chatbots. The pattern mirrors the early 2010s, when warnings about social media's impact on adolescents were brushed aside until the harm became undeniable. Experts warn that AI companions and chatbots pose similar psychological risks that current laws do not address.