No social media: anxiety down 16%
A study of 18–24-year-olds found that not using social media for one week reduced anxiety symptoms by 16%, depression by 25%, and insomnia by 15%.
Snapshot · Pivot
The White House UFC Fight, SpaceX’s Big Pop, and Fox’s Roku Deal
Explore episode
Jun 16, 2026
Where this was said
Wins & Fails: UK Teen Social Media Ban and the Nordic Model
At 59:10 · chapter starts 57:18
Scott Galloway praises UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer's announcement that TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, Snapchat, Facebook, and X will all be banned for users under 16 starting spring 2027 — a move he calls a win not just for teen mental health but for democracy itself. [1] — Scott Galloway "UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced the world's strictest teen social media law, banning all major platforms for users under 16. Scott…" 57:18 He marshals the evidence: one week off social media cuts anxiety by 16%, depression by 25%, insomnia by 15%, and Britain's existing Online Safety Act has already cut porn site visits by a third while raising child age-check encounters from 30% to 47%. He then pivots to his fail: the false American dichotomy that forces voters to choose between robust capitalism and a functional social safety net. After visits to Stockholm and Amsterdam, he's convinced that dichotomy is a myth — Sweden grows at 2.5%, has produced Spotify, Klarna, and Ericsson, and has no visible homelessness in its capital. [2] — Scott Galloway "After visiting Stockholm and Amsterdam, Scott Galloway declares America's core economic myth busted: you don't have to choose between dynam…" 1:02:25 The Netherlands hosts ASML and Europe's data center hub. Spotify executives who'd moved to Silicon Valley have moved back to Sweden, happily paying higher taxes because they trust the government to spend the money well. Kara adds that Korea supports the same point. Both hosts close with disgust at the fighter's Michelle Obama remarks before plugging Peter Chernin's interview on Kara's other podcast.
UK teen social media ban: under-16s
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced the world's strictest teen social media law, banning TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, Snapchat, Facebook, and X from users under 16.
UK Bans Social Media for Under-16s: The World's Strictest Teen Law
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced the world's strictest teen social media law, banning all major platforms for users under 16. Scott Galloway, who has a 15-year-old at home, argues this is not a parenting failure — it's a collective action problem that requires collective action. The data backs him up: one week off social media cuts anxiety 16%, depression 25%.
UK Online Safety Act: porn visits cut 33%
The UK's existing Online Safety Act has already cut visits to porn sites by a third and raised the share of children encountering age checks from 30% to 47%.
The Tech Industry Is a Whorehouse — and It Needs a Cop
Capitalism works because companies are relentlessly self-interested — and that's fine. The mistake is expecting them to self-regulate on safety. Scott Galloway argues the system needs external cops: regulations, economic incentives, and penalties, not appeals to corporate conscience.
Sweden GDP growth: 2.5%
Sweden is growing at 2.5% despite having the population of North Carolina, and has produced major companies like Spotify, Klarna, and Ericsson.
Sweden Disproves America's Biggest Economic Myth
After visiting Stockholm and Amsterdam, Scott Galloway declares America's core economic myth busted: you don't have to choose between dynamic capitalism and a robust social safety net. Sweden has Spotify, Klarna, Ericsson, 2.5% GDP growth — and universal healthcare, no homeless people on the streets, and citizens who trust their government.
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