Parents often blame themselves for their kids’ tech addiction, seeing it as a failure of their parenting strategies. In this TED talk, professor and technology policy expert Gaia Bernstein challenges this view, pointing to the real problem: the tech industry’s intentionally addictive designs. By comparing technology companies to the Big Tobacco of the 21st century, she highlights how these corporations manipulate user behavior for profit.

Bernstein calls for a shift in blame for technology addiction towards these tech giants and urges us to unite in collective action – in our communities and courtrooms – to reform their harmful practices.

Gaia Bernstein is a law professor and the author of the widely praised book Unwired: Gaining Control Over Addictive Technologies. She has created and spearheaded a nationally acclaimed school outreach program for children and parents on technology overuse.