Read the following passage and answer the questions based on it:
Research on the psychological consequences of social media on teenagers is complex and becoming more urgent, raising important issues regarding corporate responsibility and cognitive development. The ubiquitous presence of platforms designed to maximise interaction has led many to wonder whether they are reengineering the brains of adolescents, essentially changing the way they think and feel about the world. The relentless, dopamine-reinforced cycles of likes, shares, and notifications habituate the teen brain for instant rewards, possibly lowering the ability for delayed reward and focused, in-depth attention. Also, the edited and sometimes idealised character of online material creates a culture of constant social comparison, resulting in increased rates of anxiety, depression, and body dysmorphic concerns. The pressure to express an idealised digital self and the anxiety about missing out (FOMO) result in a constant state of social and emotional monitoring that can be harmful to a healthy sense of worth and identity development.
This irrefutable psychological burden puts the question of accountability in the spotlight. Critics are saying that social media companies, by deliberately creating addictive algorithms and profiting from the very engagement that is hurting people, have both moral and ethical responsibility to safeguard their youngest users. They are saying that the platforms' inaction regarding strong age verification, content blocking, and responsible limits on usage amounts to a dereliction of responsibility, much like other industries are responsible for the effects of their products. On the other hand, platforms and their allies tend to cite the importance of parental control and personal agency, claiming that it is hard to create a direct causal relationship between platform usage and particular mental health effects. Yet, the scale of the problem and the powerful anecdotal and nascent empirical evidence encourage an appraisal of the issue at a more systematic level. In the end, it's not a matter of blaming one thing, but rather finding a collective paradigm of responsibility involving increased government oversight, an inherent change in corporate values towards users' welfare, and enhanced digital literacy and critical thinking education among young people themselves.
What argument do critics make regarding social media companies' responsibility?
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: D
Explanation
The passage states, 'Critics are saying that social media companies, by deliberately creating addictive algorithms and profiting from the very engagement that is hurting people, have both moral and ethical responsibility to safeguard their youngest users.' This directly supports option D.