Is Social Media Addictive? Here’s What the Science Says.
New York TimesOct 26, 2023
Study: 48% of British Teens Feel Addicted to Social Media
The Facts
According to the University of Cambridge researchers' analysis of data from the Millennium Cohort study, nearly half of British teenagers feel they have become addicted to social media platforms.
The study, carried out by the Centre for Longitudinal Studies at the University of London, examined the lives of more than 18K children born in the UK between 2000 and 2001.
The Spin
Narrative A
Social media companies have been knowingly enticing and ensnaring young people with their algorithms and misleading the public about the substantial, addictive, and compulsive dangers of their platforms' use — all for profit. Tech giants must pay restitution and develop ways to make their social media products safer for children.
Narrative B
Social media companies generally have robust safety policies and parental controls. They are committed to providing children with age-appropriate, safe, and positive experiences even though they aren't legally liable for harm caused by their platforms. Importantly, more study is needed to determine what real digital addiction is and what the signs and consequences could be.
Narrative C
While the vast power social media companies have acquired is regulated by anemic federal oversight, parents should have greater control over their teenage and adolescents' social media use. Social media companies may or may not bend their knees, which is why parents must become their offspring's first line of defense.
Nerd narrative
There's a 50% chance at least 72% of the world population will use the internet in 2025, according to the Metaculus prediction community.