Screen time limits not enough to tackle problematic social media use: experts
Experts argue that simple screen time limits are insufficient to address the mental health risks associated with social media. The report highlights how business models, such as infinite scrolling and targeted algorithms, are designed to maximize engagement at the expense of user well-being.
Why it matters
This highlights a growing tension between the design choices of big tech companies and the documented mental health impacts on younger users, suggesting a need for regulatory oversight.
“We need to think about the design choices and business models of big technology companies that have built these platforms that are designed for engagement and (to) keep us on (them),” Shaw said.
“That’s partly what drives the health-related consequences of the digitization of our lives.”
Digital technology itself isn’t good or bad, Shaw said, but the way social media companies make money is to keep people on their platforms for as long as possible and to collect data about their likes, what they share and what posts they come back to — information that can be used for advertising opportunities.
“A perfect example is the bottomless scroll or infinite scroll. If the page you’re looking at has no end, it makes it much more difficult to close off that sort of session or that activity,” he said.
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