In 1917, American Tobacco launched Lucky Strike with the slogan "It's Toasted," framing a standard tobacco heat-treatment process as a unique health benefit to deflect growing cancer concerns. A century later, critics argue Meta employs the same PR playbook, emphasizing its 40,000 trust and safety employees and safety features while ignoring fundamental design choices that critics say maximize addiction.

The comparison has gained traction following recent legal and regulatory developments. Australia banned social media for children under 16 in December 2025, and US states are considering surgeon general warnings on platforms. A California jury found Meta negligent in a case brought by a young woman claiming platform design features caused her mental health distress, with thousands of similar lawsuits pending. CEO Mark Zuckerberg testified that safety features were implemented appropriately.

Rather than redesigning platforms to reduce addictive elements like infinite scroll and algorithmic feeds, Meta focuses on reactive measures and parental tools—shifting responsibility to users. The article argues this mirrors Big Tobacco's strategy of highlighting process over product. With regulators now deploying tobacco-era tools including lawsuits and mandatory warnings, Meta faces mounting pressure to make architectural changes rather than just PR adjustments.