The next step towards regulating social networks in the European Union involves controlling mechanisms that prolong time in front of screens
The next step towards regulating social networks in the European Union involves controlling mechanisms that prolong time in front of screens; children and adolescents are the most vulnerable.
Strategies to capture user attention for as long as possible used by social media platforms and other applications are on the radar of members of the European Parliament. The idea is to treat digital addiction – on the rise, especially among younger people – as is done with alcohol, drugs, tobacco or gambling.
The house’s consumer protection committee drafted a resolution against “addictive design of online services“, which proposes specific regulation to contain practices that lead to dependence on social networks. The text was approved in December by a large majority of MEPs in plenary – 545 votes in favor, 12 against and 61 abstentions.
It is in the category of “addictive design” mechanisms such as the possibility of infinite scrolling of the news feed, notifications, flashes of relevant content that are hidden when the feed is reloaded, automatic video reproductions and sequences of suggested content. Resources like these play into people’s loss of self-control, according to studies used as reference in the report.
“We set rules for slot machines, but every time we open our app, scroll down, or refresh our social media, the same thing happens in our brains.“, said the leader of the initiative, Green MEP Kim van Sparrentak, on the day of the vote.
Taking a step ahead of current regulation
This is another chapter in the debate on consumer protection and the use of social networks in Europe, which serves as a reference for discussions on digital rights around the world, including in Brazil.
In December 2020, for example, the European Union approved the DSA (Digital Services Law) and the Digital Market Law. This legislation is considered a reference because it deals with the business model of these companies and the guarantee of consumer rights, and not just mediation and content removal. With this, it is hoped to create a safer digital space that prevents the spread of misinformation and hateful content.
These regulations served as a reference for the drafting of the bill against fake news in Brazil, which was recently paralyzed in the National Congress and now awaits the convening of working groups for new rounds of discussion.
However, the issue of addictive design is not adequately addressed in this legislation, which is why MEPs involved with the topic understand that it is necessary to go a step further and specifically regulate devices that “stick” the user to the screen.
The question now is whether the increase in ultra-right MEPs, who were recently elected to the European Parliament, could change the house’s willingness to vote in favor of these rules.
Ultra-right parties such as the AfD (Alternative for Germany) are against the regulation of the digital environment and precisely use resources present on platforms such as TikTok to engage voters, especially young people. The party, which has a stance against issues such as immigration and has members who have relativized the Holocaust, was the second most voted in Germany in these European elections, advancing especially among voters under 24 years of age.
The theme of addictive design is still absent in all big tech codes of conduct, explains Bruna Santos, global campaigns manager at the Digital Action organization, operating in Germany. “The techniques that platforms use to engage have not changed even with new policies. What we want now is to ask platforms to turn off some ‘features’, some characteristics that attract more user attention“, said the researcher.
Digital addiction is greater in children and adolescents
In Brazil, another report sparked debate about the addictive design of social networks. On May 14, the Senate Communication and Digital Law Committee held a public hearing on the protection of children and adolescents in digital environments. A study was presented minimizing the addictive effect of platforms, in which it is said that exposure to the screen is “just 1 out of 15 factors that influence the mental health of children and adolescents on social media“.
According to a report on the Intercept Brasil website, the study was conducted by an organization called Conselho Digital, which is basically supported by big techs to lobby against the regulation of their businesses.
There is no shortage of evidence in the world about the potential harm to health of exposure to screens and how digital addiction is a growing public health problem.
In a report published in 2023, the US Surgeon General, an authority linked to the United States Department of Health, warned that teenagers who spend more than 3 hours a day on social media are twice as likely to have mental health problems, including symptoms of depression and anxiety.
The Brazilian Society of Pediatrics recommends that children:
- children under 2 years of age should not be exposed to screens;
- between 2 and 5 years old, screen time should be limited to a maximum of one hour per day;
- between 6 and 10 years old should use screens for up to two hours a day;
- between 11 and 18 years old should not exceed three hours of screen time per day.
According to the European Parliament report, young people aged 16 to 24 spend, on average, more than 7 hours a day on the internet.
To attract attention – not just from younger people –, platforms use “gamification” – that is, they use a game mechanic to reward task completion and give users the illusion of choice and control, while being subjected to a deliberately selected timeline. This causes chemical effects in the brain similar to those of gambling addiction, such as the rapid release of dopamine.
“Addictive design features are often linked to psychosocial patterns that are based on consumers’ psychological needs, vulnerabilities and desires, such as social belonging, social anxiety, fear of missing out“, says the report.
The text highlights that the commercial success of digital platforms and the development of more ethical design are not mutually exclusive.
Deutsche Welle is Germany’s international broadcaster and produces independent journalism in 30 languages.
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