Haidt begins the book with a hypothetical scenario: Would we allow a visionary billionaire to recruit children for permanent settlement on Mars? This thought experiment serves as a metaphor for the impact of technology on today’s youth—Haidt views it as a similarly uncontrolled experiment. The unique environment of Mars, with its low gravity and high radiation, would pose severe risks to children’s development, paralleling how the digital environment affects young minds.

Haidt recounts the optimism of the early 2000s tech boom. Technology promised to make life easier and more connected, fostering a sense of global unity. However, the tech industry’s influence soon extended to children, transforming their lives in unprecedented ways. The new digital devices were much more personalized and engaging than television, capturing children’s attention for hours. Despite widespread adoption, there was little understanding of the long-term mental health effects of these technologies on young minds.

Haidt draws a parallel between tech companies and the tobacco industry, emphasizing how both exploited vulnerable populations while denying the negative impacts of their products. Social media and video game companies, in particular, target children during critical developmental stages. These platforms use psychological tricks to maximize engagement, often to the detriment of children’s mental health.