But does social media do more good than harm? Tech CEOs are being grilled in the USA this week as part of a Senate hearing about the protection of children from online sexual abuse.
Accused: ‘Your product is killing people’
Tech wreck: Senator Lindsay Graham of South Carolina accused Mark Zuckerberg of having blood on his hands. Glossary
Oregon - A state on the north-west coast of the USA. It is one of the most geographically diverse states, with volcanoes, huge lakes, vast forests and deserts.
Exploitation - Treating someone unfairly in order to benefit from their hard work.
Senate - The upper chamber of the Congress that - along with the US House of Representatives (lower chamber) - comprises the legislative branch of the US government. Each of the 50 US states is equally represented by two senators, regardless of its population size.
CEO - The Chief Executive Officer is the highest ranking person in a company. They are responsible for making decisions about the company's future.
Predatory - Something that preys on others.
Algorithm - Any set of rules followed by a computer. In the context of social media, “the algorithm” refers to the intelligent AI that learns the interests of the user and presents them with posts that it thinks will interest them.
Literacy - The ability to read and write.