Why You're Still Using Social Media (Even If You Want to Stop) with Dr. Cass Sunstein

Why is social media so hard to quit? We waste hours scrolling, feel worse when we log off, and still find ourselves going back for more. Dr. Laurie sits down with Dr. Cass Sunstein, co-author of (00:00:57) Nudge , to explore a new concept from the 2026 World Happiness Report : the "product trap." Together, they unpack why we keep returning to platforms that make us unhappy — and what it might take to finally break free. Resources mentioned in this episode: Technopoly: The Surrender of Culture to Technology Nudge: Improving Decisions About Health, Wealth, and Happiness " World Happiness Report 2026 " " The Problem of Social Cost " " Valuing Facebook " " The Welfare Effects of Social Media " " When Product Markets Become Collective Traps: The Case of Social Media " " Libertarian Paternalism Is Not an Oxymoron "

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Why You're Still Using Social Media (Even If You Want to Stop) with Dr. Cass Sunstein is an episode from The Happiness Lab with Dr. Laurie Santos by Pushkin Industries.

This episode is 32:50 long.

This episode was published on Mar 23, 2026.

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