The walls are closing in on infinite-scroll feeds and other addictive design mechanics. I wrote about how lawyers and regulators may have finally found a way around Section 230 https://www.platformer.news/social-media-addiction-trial-eu-tiktok-investigation/
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@caseynewton it's not the infinite scroll feed that's the problem, it's the "if it bleeds, it leads" mentality. Who would object to an infinite scroll feed of amazing cat and dog pictures? Why can't we treat the disease instead of the symptoms? Learninate me on this one, Casey Newton!
@codinghorror @caseynewton I strongly disagree. I think the infinite feed mechanic itself is a major issue. This is what keeps people reaching for their phones and what keeps them on their phones for longer — the perpetual promise of some new exciting Content that will make them laugh or gasp or be outraged. Anything other than sitting quietly in a room alone.
@codinghorror @caseynewton People have been so focused on the content on these platforms that they are missing the forest for the trees. “People just like checking things,” as I heard it described on a podcast once.
In college at the turn of the millennium we had email terminals at various locations on campus, and I checked my email every chance I got between classes. Usually there wasn’t even anything new.
@codinghorror @caseynewton It’s never been about likes or virality or ragebait, although those are things, too. It’s just our hardwired need for stimulation, input, novelty.
Every second that you’re not looking at your phone is a second that something new — NEW! — might be on it.
@codinghorror I think a lot of folks‘ experience of recommendation algorithms is that they overserve them even when all they want is cute dogs! and they still feel gross afterwards. you could probably design one that made you feel better, but I'm still not sure they should scroll infinitely, especially for kids under 16
@caseynewton also of note: our 3 kids (16, 13, 13) have actively rejected most digital "social" stuff. They love YouTube (and I don't mean the weirdo parts) and vastly prefer in-person or really positive team multiplayer games (roblox, minecraft, etc). Maybe it's the not the children who are wrong, but us?
@codinghorror just a friendly heads-up Jeff... mine were like that, at those ages too... It's not necessarily guaranteed that things will stay that way
- a regretful dad who wished he hadn't felt quite so superior to the addiction engineers
@codinghorror @caseynewton I’ve noticed this with my own friends
Most people I know I feel like use discord way more than proper social media