Scrolling by Design: Who Is Responsible, The User or Big Tech?

Are social media users responsible for their own digital addiction, or are Big Tech companies engineering platforms designed to keep us hooked?In this episode of Rod’s Scholarly Opinion, Rodney McNeil examines the growing debate surrounding social media addiction, algorithmic manipulation, and the attention economy. Following a landmark 2026 lawsuit in which Meta and YouTube were found negligent for creating addictive products harmful to a child’s mental health, this episode explores the deeper ethical, psychological, and legal questions shaping the digital age.From Section 230 protections and addictive platform design to dopamine reward systems, Instagram Reels, neuroscience research, and the impact of social media on children, this discussion breaks down how billion-dollar corporations compete for human attention, and what responsibility users still hold in the process.Are platforms simply providing entertainment and connection, or are they intentionally engineering compulsive behavior through algorithms, endless scrolling, notifications, and personalized content?This episode explores:The landmark Meta and YouTube negligence caseSection 230 and Big Tech legal protectionsThe psychology and neuroscience behind social media addictionHow Instagram Reels and algorithms maximize engagementWhy children are especially vulnerable to digital reward systemsThe ethics of targeting tweens and adolescents onlineParenting in the age of algorithmic influenceWhether attention has become the most valuable currency in modern societyTechnology once extended human capability. Today, it competes for human attention.Listen now and join the conversation.