Social Media Algorithms Face Scrutiny Over Addictive Design And Harm
· Technology · The Hindu, The Guardian
Social media algorithms powering platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube are facing intense scrutiny from researchers and lawmakers over addictive design features. Australia is considering legislation that would allow citizens to opt out of recommendation algorithms and penalise tech companies failing to protect young users from harmful content. Experts note that infinite scrolls, intermittent rewards, and time-sensitive notifications are engineered to trigger dopamine systems and keep users online. In a landmark trial in Los Angeles, tech giants were accused of creating addiction machines. The code behind these recommendation engines remains closely guarded by platform operators.
Why it matters
Proposed regulations could force tech companies to alter core recommendation features, impacting how billions of users consume digital content.
Read the original report — The Hindu
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