The Happiness Lab

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

In this episode, behavioral scientist Cass Sunstein discusses his new concept of the "product trap"—a situation where people continue using products like social media because not using them incurs social costs, even though the products reduce their well‑being. He explains how social platforms create non‑user externalities and trigger loss aversion and FOMO, leading users to stay trapped despite feeling worse. Sunstein illustrates the idea with examples ranging from Instagram filters to AI cheat tools in classrooms, and highlights how companies exploit these dynamics to boost engagement. The conversation ties these insights to broader research on technology’s impact on happiness from the 2026 World Happiness Report.