The Diary Of A CEO · 2026-02-16 · Steven Bartlett (host), Jonathan Haidt, Aditi Nerurkar
Brain Rot Emergency: These Internal Documents Prove They’re Controlling You!
46 claims checked against research: 1 contradicted 9 overstated 4 needing context 14 supported 10 corroborated online 8 unverified
10 Corroborated by web sources
Eighty percent of people check their phones within minutes of waking up.
"We know that 80% of people are checking their phones within minutes of waking up." (said at 0:09:42)
No published record matching the claim that 80% of people check their phones within minutes of waking up was located; this does not prove the claim false. While this figure frequently appears in commercial market surveys and industry white papers (such as an IDC/Facebook report from 2013 and Deloitte consumer surveys), it does not appear as an established finding in indexed peer-reviewed scientific literature.
corroborated by web sourcesMultiple industry and consumer research surveys, including a widely cited study conducted by IDC Research, report that approximately 80% of smartphone users check their devices within 10 to 15 minutes of waking up.
cbsnews.commibluedaily.com
As of January 2026, TikTok is the most downloaded social application globally.
"As of January 2026, TikTok, I believe, is the most downloaded social app in the world now." (said at 0:19:55)
No published record matching the claim that TikTok was the most downloaded social application globally as of January 2026 was located; this does not prove the claim false.
corroborated by web sourcesIndustry tracking data from app intelligence firms, including Appfigures, confirms that TikTok was the most downloaded social media application worldwide in January 2026 with roughly 43 million downloads, leading competitors such as Instagram and Facebook.
appfigures.com
Internal legal documents from lawsuits show Snapchat was receiving 10,000 reports of sextortion from users each month in 2022.
"So Snapchat at Snapchat in 2022, we know from their internal documents from the lawsuits, they were getting 10,000 reports of sextortion from their users. Not a year, every month." (said at 0:37:18)
No published record matching the claim that internal legal documents show Snapchat received 10,000 sextortion reports from users each month in 2022 was located; this does not prove the claim false.
corroborated by web sourcesUnsealed internal documents cited in a lawsuit filed by New Mexico's attorney general against Snap Inc. show that the company was receiving approximately 10,000 user reports of sextortion each month in 2022. Company records noted that these reports likely represented only a small fraction of actual occurrences.
techpolicy.pressmashable.comnewsweek.com
A Harvard Business Review report found that the number one use case for AI chatbots is mental health therapy and companionship rather than productivity or coding.
"And so, when Harvard Business Review found that the number one use case is not productivity, is not coding or things that you think of when you're using an AI chatbot, but it's mental health therapy and companionship. Number one use case of AI chatbots." (said at 0:41:10)
No published record matching the claim that a Harvard Business Review report found mental health therapy and companionship to be the number one use case for AI chatbots was located; this does not prove the claim false.
corroborated by web sourcesAn analysis published by Harvard Business Review titled "How People Are Really Using Gen AI in 2025" identified "therapy and companionship" as the number one use case for generative artificial intelligence, surpassing technical and work-related tasks such as coding and content creation.
forbes.commedium.com
One million users per week talk about suicide on ChatGPT according to public statements by Sam Altman.
"I've been listening to a lot of Sam Altman's speeches or panels, and he will always say things like, "Yeah, you know, privacy's a major issue." Or, "Yeah, people, you know, 1 million users a week talk about suicide on ChatGPT. Yeah, this is an issue."" (said at 0:52:10)
No published record matching the claim that Sam Altman stated that 1 million users per week talk about suicide on ChatGPT was located; this does not prove the claim false.
corroborated by web sourcesIn October 2025, OpenAI publicly released data showing that approximately 0.15% of ChatGPT's weekly active users—amounting to over one million people each week—have conversations containing explicit indicators of potential suicidal planning or intent.
theguardian.comfastcompany.com
A team analyzing leaked documents cataloged references to 31 internal research studies conducted by Meta that documented harms from its platforms.
"My team, we put together, we found references to 31 internal studies that Meta did. They've done a lot of research finding harm." (said at 0:32:11)
No published record matching the claim that a research team cataloged references to 31 internal studies conducted by Meta documenting harm was located; this does not prove the claim false.
corroborated by web sourcesJonathan Haidt and his research team at NYU Stern cataloged 31 internal research studies conducted by Meta between 2018 and 2024 examining platform-related harms to user mental health and well-being. The findings were compiled from whistleblower disclosures and unsealed court documents and published as part of the Meta Internal Studies Project.
facebook.comafterbabel.com
A British mother filed a lawsuit in Delaware against TikTok seeking viewing data after her 13-year-old son Jules died from participating in the choking challenge.
"I met Ellen—I believe Ellen Groom, I think was her name. Her son Jules was found dead. Happy kid, found dead, strangled. It sure looked like it was the choking challenge. 13-year-old boy... And she went to Delaware to sue to demand that TikTok release: what was he watching when he died?" (said at 0:53:20)
No published record matching the claim that a British mother (Ellen Roome) filed a lawsuit in Delaware seeking TikTok viewing data following the death of her 13-year-old son Jules from a choking challenge was located; this does not prove the claim false.
corroborated by web sourcesBritish mother Ellen Roome joined a lawsuit filed against TikTok in Delaware seeking account and viewing data after the death of her son, Jools Sweeney, which she believes was linked to an online choking or "blackout" challenge.
joolslaw.co.ukazertag.azmirror.co.uk
The original iPhone released in 2007–2008 launched without an App Store or push notifications.
"the original iPhone was an amazing tool, it was a Swiss Army knife, it had, you know, a a telephone, a browser, maps, a music player, there was a flashlight, okay? There was no App Store, there were no push notifications, 2007, 2008, it's just a Swiss Army knife." (said at 1:11:28)
No published record matching the claim that the original iPhone launched without an App Store or push notifications was located; this does not prove the claim false.
corroborated by web sourcesThe original iPhone launched in June 2007 with only pre-installed native applications and no support for push notifications. Apple subsequently introduced the App Store in July 2008 with iPhone OS 2.0 and rolled out the Apple Push Notification service in June 2009 with iPhone OS 3.0.
apple.comalertzy.appwikipedia.org
The draft of the 1998 Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) originally proposed an age threshold of 16 before lobbying lowered it to 13.
"And the original law said, '16. Let's try 16.' ...1998, COPPA, the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act. So, but various lobbying, they pushed it down from 16 to 13, and they gutted enforcement." (said at 1:37:00)
No published record matching the claim that the draft of the 1998 Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) originally proposed an age threshold of 16 before lobbying lowered it to 13 was located; this does not prove the claim false.
corroborated by web sourcesLegislative records and policy analyses document that early drafts and precursor bills to COPPA originally set the age threshold at 16. Following pushback and lobbying from tech industry representatives and digital rights advocacy groups regarding teenage access and parental consent requirements, lawmakers lowered the final age limit to under 13.
govinfo.govkhlaw.com
Following the implementation of Australia's social media ban for underage children, tech companies complied by shutting down 5 million accounts belonging to Australia's 2.5 million underage children.
"All the companies complied. They shut down 5 million accounts for Australia's 2 and 1/2 million kids that were underage." (said at 1:34:00)
No published record matching the claim that tech companies complied by shutting down 5 million accounts belonging to Australia's 2.5 million underage children was located; this does not prove the claim false. Academic analyses of Australia's Online Safety Amendment (Social Media Minimum Age Act 2024) note that the legislative framework provided a transition period leading into late 2025 with platform penalties of up to AUD $50 million, and early empirical studies evaluating adolescent social media access found that the vast majority of underage users continued to access social media platforms using their own accounts rather than experiencing complete platform-wide account shutdowns.
corroborated by web sourcesFollowing the rollout of Australia's under-16 social media ban in late 2025, the Australian government and eSafety Commissioner announced in January 2026 that major tech platforms had deactivated or restricted approximately 4.7 million accounts, with officials noting Australia has about 2.5 million children in the affected age cohort.
pm.gov.autheguardian.compbs.org
Unverified means no publication matching the claim was located; it does not prove the claim false. Spotted an error? See the corrections policy - disputes from the people quoted are prioritized.