Avoid Addictive Apps

It is alarming how an entire generation is growing up with mobile technology and social media. Scrolling through the phone has become so pervasive that there is a Gen Z term for it called ‘brain-rot.’ Youths today prefer to scroll their social media endlessly, tapping out hearts and comments in their free time. Many even sneak in glances at their phones in classrooms. Experts have warned against the overconsumption of videos, which are short, attention-grabbing content that seeks out the most watch time. It is notable how attention has become a commodity. It is said that time is the most valuable currency and today social media has been designed to fetch the longest attention of the gullible users. 

In a world of social media, content creators and influencers vie for the most views by putting out all the stops in their content. Social media founders have admitted to the addictive nature of their platforms. Recently, a California State Court ruled that Meta and Google have hurt young users. According to the landmark case, Meta and Google will have to compensate the families of young users for creating detrimentally addictive apps. While it is a given that the youths are highly deft in technology, it also comes with a murky territory. Often, parents allow their children to spend time on the phones, either as a respite or as a leisure activity. But given the nature of social media, it is very difficult to regulate the content, especially due to the algorithm.

 Instead of prioritising posts by friends and family, apps such as Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube promote content that is most viewed and liable to generate the most attention. Little did Mark Zuckerberg know the Pandora’s Box he would open when he launched Facebook in 2004. His lofty views of connecting the world meaningfully have been dismantled into broken fragments of algorithm-driven apps that engulf users’ time and attention to an extremely addictive level. Since Facebook, the world has seen Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, X (formerly Twitter), etc., all of which have divided societies to such a degree that now laws and policies have become requisite to curb the side effects. Today, such apps have become a medium to spread misinformation, fake news and hate. 

Politics in nations throughout the world has been influenced by the way information circulates on the internet, leading to radicalised and polarised points of view. It doesn’t help that the circumstances have been aggravated by the rising impact of AI (Artificial Intelligence) on social media. In the 2010s, Facebook was hailed as the innovation of the 21st century. Now it is paying reparations due to its addictive nature and altogether harmful influence on young minds. 

Were there warning signs that the society as a whole missed? Has it failed the young generations today who are growing up with constant TikTok videos, Instagram reels, etc.? Not all of it is pessimistic, as the world has become interconnected thanks to social media but the cons outweigh the pros to such a large margin that it is greatly worrisome. Humans are driven to connect as social beings, but it is problematic when they seek out social media as a poor substitute for genuine human relations.