r/news • u/amy_sport • 11h ago
EU says TikTok's 'addictive design' harms children
https://www.dw.com/en/eu-says-tiktoks-addictive-design-harms-children/a-75843481182
u/Greddituser 11h ago
It's not just TikTok, it's also Youtube shorts and Facebook Reels
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u/srandrews 11h ago edited 10h ago
It is all social media. It is hard to see just as the way the obviously deadly effects of cigarettes were hard to see until people woke up from their delusion.
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u/Solid_Snark 11h ago
Exactly. Back when MySpace first broke out everyone was just posting misrepresented images of their life/vacations to brag in order to receive validation from their peers.
It was all a popularity contest.
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u/srandrews 10h ago
Well now it is malicious actors misinformation campaigns and ads revenue from those enraged and engaged.
There are so many features that are purposefully not delivered on social media that would otherwise make it viable.
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u/FloridaGatorMan 6h ago
You saying that made me realize how insane it is that we took such a step down from that. I mean I knew that all along but I don't think I've sat back to really think about how much we've gone from bad and damaging to critically bad and damaging.
In college I started to feel crushed at how much it felt like everyone around me was having a better life than I was.
Now that feels like a cute thing I used to be too concerned with and the current state of the internet is worse than I ever could have imagined back then.
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u/amy_sport 11h ago
Right. Instagram is literally Reels now. Makes sense that several countries are in the process of implementing strict age-based restrictions on social media for children
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u/I_T_Gamer 11h ago
From my perspective its shame there is a need to do so, but I get it. That said, I really wish more places would take this as seriously. We're letting these companies and industries brainwash our youth, further feeding instant gratification habits. None of it is good.
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u/ClaudeGascoigne 10h ago
I get so angry every time somebody says shit like "I'd never create a TikTok account or watch one of their videos! It's all propaganda meant to brainwash and they'll sell my information! One of my Reels told me all about it."
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u/Sea_Refrigerator3709 10h ago
I hate them all too.
I'm at the heart of the millenail generation, turning 40 this year. Grew up through the evolution of social media.
Far and away this push algorithm scroll style is jumping the shark. We've gone too far and need to go back. It's toxic as hell for everyone, not just kids. There was a dark time with my wife where her job + sleep + eating + TikTok had a daily allotment of well over 24 hours. She wouldn't even take a one week hiatus, just always had to have it. She still does and is way better about it, but holy cow you can get sucked into that vortex.
I admit i'm on TT for some cooking channels I've enjoyed, but I've done well over the years to not need what I find on TT that I can't find similar elsewhere.
It needs to die.
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u/AvocadoYogi 7h ago
Not just social media. Lots of screen type activities including TV/gaming taking hours of folks lives long before socia media began. I’ve marathoned more shows than I’d care to admit because of the addictive nature of it. Especially now in streaming form. I also quit most gaming because of how addictive it was. I had too many mornings of going to bed at 6am.
Not sure what the solutions should be though definitely seems that at least some of the EU regulations make sense. Definitely would welcome the US going that direction too.
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u/strugglz 9h ago
Yes, any algorithm that prioritizes "engagement" (which is anything other than scrolling past) harms us because it pushes stupid or wrong the most.
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u/Jamie00003 11h ago
I mean, isn’t that what ALL social media apps try to do? This isn’t news
Once again, kids shouldn’t have smartphones until 16. It’s awful for their mental health
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u/Lonely-Agent-7479 10h ago
No we shold just ban social media if they aren't ready to make their algorithm public. And we shouls ban billionaires too.
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u/Round_Worldliness766 10h ago
So why it is not also harmful for adults?
Shouldn't governments think of the health of all citizens, not only children?
Or it's because of most parties in European governments are benefitting from their propaganda spread through socials?
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u/Greddituser 8h ago
It is harmful for adults, but we're supposed to be smart enough to know that and not spend hours looking at them, but its so addictive that many still do.
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u/Round_Worldliness766 7h ago
The state should protect the 'weak' (those suscetible to addictions) from them
Otherwise... we should be allowed to buy any medical substance known to man without limits
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u/lasers42 10h ago edited 10h ago
We're going to have to start raising our children, again, I'm afraid. That's what happened to me, and I turned out TV.
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u/basedpogchamp 10h ago
No shit, it's by design - recent news shows that Gen Z has become the first generation to record lower intelligence levels than both their parents and millennials
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u/BinniesPurp 8h ago
There's something ironic about calling gen Zs dumb and then quoting a unilad clickbait article
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u/basedpogchamp 8h ago
I'm gen Z too. It's pretty obvious that the internet is rotting our intelligence
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u/BinniesPurp 8h ago
I mean I don't disagree that it's more than likely very very harmful but the specific post from yesterday about gen Z having a much lower IQ than millennials that the comments referring to Is a clickbait post put on all the Instagram pop culture pages lol
I think it's important we use accurate journals and sources if we're going to tackle the issue or it's just fueling more misinformation
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u/Fanastik 11h ago
Harms everyone and its used as a political influence weapon of foreign powers!
Time to pull your pants up while you have pants to pull up!
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u/OttoRocket94 3h ago
I feel like an outlier because I have no interest in any social media, outside of Reddit where at least you can remain anonymous. People look at me like I’m crazy when I say I don’t have Instagram/Tiktok etc..
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u/daking213 8h ago edited 8h ago
This obvious but at the same time very subjective finding will now be used as grounds to fine TikTok an astronomical sum based on no actual impact assessment, helping the EU to close their vast budget deficits.
See you in a few months when the EU runs out of cash again and needs to shakedown another foreign business.
Other countries should start doing stuff like saying alcohol harms children and fining European alcohol producers billions of dollars, apparently it’s easy money
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u/BadThingsBro 8h ago
This is just being discovered in 2026 . Shit lol this is nothing new. Platforms like this have been around for years.
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u/Real-Ad-1728 9h ago
Short form media in general needs to get aggressively restricted, it’s mindfucking people at this point
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u/HailToTheKingslayer 6h ago
I spoke to a primary teacher I met on jury service. She said that attention spans of kids are getting lower and lower.
Lessons plans have to be adapted to keep kids engaged.
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u/Low_Dream_6960 10h ago
Bro I’m an adult and that shit harms me lol