I think companies are starting to take advantage of what has always been a "look the other way" loophole in the system. In the past internships led almost directly to jobs, now they essentially lead to nothing, with companies saying that they are offering valuable experience. Internships used to be about giving new hires a place to start in the company, and work their way up. Now internships are essentially unpaid <12 month contract jobs that are revolving doors for young people with no chance of a job when the contract is up.
Young people are now hopping from unpaid internship to unpaid internship, creating a new kind of working poor.
The situation can't last, I think this is just the start of a pushback.