Turning the Tide on Tech Addiction: Lawmakers Take Steps To Curb Teen Tech Dependence
Social networks are going to great lengths to keep teens glued to their phones. That may soon be deemed illegal.
By Zsuzsa Detrekoi
Social media users are likely well acquainted with the addictive nature of these mobile applications, which has given rise to numerous perils within our society, such as the propagation of disinformation, the theft of personal data, and even the manipulation of elections. These social applications were deliberately crafted to foster addiction, employing design techniques reminiscent of the mesmerizing slot machines found in Las Vegas. As a consequence, users find themselves perpetually engrossed in their screens, unknowingly becoming commodities whose attention is readily sold to the highest bidder.
The pervasive impact of this addiction poses a grave threat not only to adults, but especially to vulnerable children. Ever since the advent of mobile accessibility to social media platforms in the early 2010s, an entire generation has emerged as increasingly delicate, burdened with heightened anxiety and depression.
In light of the pressing nature of this matter, policymakers in both the European Union (EU) and the United States (US) have embarked upon measures to tackle the addictive nature of digital services, with a particular focus on social media platforms.
In late October 2023, the EU Market and Consumer Protection Committee took a significant step by adopting a draft report that sheds light on the alarmingly addictive nature of specific digital services, particularly social media. These platforms exploit individuals’ vulnerabilities to captivate their attention and monetize their personal data.
The report highlights the insidious tactics employed by these services, such as endless scrolling, pull-to-refresh, never-ending auto-play videos, push notifications, temporarily available stories, likes, and read-receipts. These design features skillfully manipulate users’ desires and weaknesses, compelling them to spend excessive amounts of time on these platforms.
Playing mind games
Research has shown that problematic smartphone or internet use is closely associated with diminished life satisfaction and a range of mental health issues, including depression, low self-esteem, body-image and eating disorders, anxiety, stress, neglect of family and friends, loss of self-control, lack of sleep, and even obsessive-compulsive symptoms. Moreover, it is children and young people who are most vulnerable to these detrimental effects.
For that reason, MEPs have been advocating for mandatory implementation of ethical and equitable digital products and services, incorporating the principles of transparency and fairness from their inception, thereby eliminating any presence of dark patterns, misleading elements, and addictive designs. Their call for new EU legislation has been prompted by the realization that the existing Digital Services Act (DSA) and draft Artificial Intelligence (AI) Act fail to adequately address this critical issue.
Meanwhile, a bipartisan coalition of 32 attorneys general has recently taken legal action against Meta in the United States on the grounds that the corporation harms the mental wellbeing of young individuals, thereby exacerbating the ongoing youth mental health crisis. The legal basis for these suits is the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Rule, which mandates parental consent for the collection of children’s data, as well as the Unfair and Deceptive Acts and Practices statutes, which aim to safeguard consumers against misleading practices.
The lawsuit asserts that Meta, with full knowledge and intention, has deliberately designed and implemented harmful features on Instagram and Facebook, specifically targeting and making children and adolescents addicted. Concurrently, an additional nine attorneys general have independently filed lawsuits against Meta in their respective states, citing the same grounds as the aforementioned coalition.
Mark Zuckerberg himself and the Meta corporation have denied any harmful consequences resulting from their platforms. However, whistleblower Frances Haugen has exposed some of Meta’s internal documents indicating that Facebook was well aware of the detrimental impact its products had on the mental wellbeing of teenagers.
Please, mind the gap between the teen and the platform
Internal research carried out by Meta, summarized in “Teen Mental Health Deep Dive”, indicated that young users grapple with a multitude of emotional challenges. These include the distressing reality of not having a sufficient number of friends or being surrounded by individuals who do not genuinely reciprocate their friendship (52%). Therefore, some 67% of young users feel compelled to create a facade of perfection, concealing their true emotions. The statistics also reveal that 14% of teenagers experience thoughts of self-harm or even suicide. Additionally, an overwhelming 62% report feelings of melancholy, sadness, depression, isolation, or loneliness while 70% of young users feel not “good enough” or “attractive”, perpetuating a damaging cycle of self-doubt and low self-esteem.
According to legal documents, Meta has implemented a range of features specifically aimed at exploiting young users. They include carefully crafted algorithms that recommend content, with the intention of keeping users engaged on the platform for longer periods of time and fostering compulsive use, or features such as “likes” or other social comparison features that can have a harmful effect on young users. Furthermore, Meta employs incessant alerts that are strategically designed to entice young users to constantly return to its platforms, even during school hours and throughout the night, or visual filter features to promote body dysmorphia among young users. Lastly, Meta uses content-presentation formats, such as the infamous “infinite scroll,” which are deliberately designed to discourage young users from exercising self-control and disengaging from the platform’s products. This manipulative tactic aims to keep users hooked and prevents them from breaking away from the platform.
Last May, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) put forward a comprehensive prohibition, aiming to prevent Facebook from capitalizing on children’s data. The measure, if implemented, would have far-reaching implications for the social media giant.
Control the controller
The design of digital platforms, and their influence on users, remains a subject that will persistently occupy the forefront of public debate and regulatory endeavors in the years to come. As our society grapples with the consequences of the digital advances, legal initiatives against addictive technologies undeniably represent a pivotal stride towards preserving the welfare of forthcoming generations in an ever more interconnected global landscape.
Zsuzsa Detrekoi is a technology and law expert with the Media and Journalism Research Center.
