Social media is having a tobacco moment in the US. Indians may benefit, too.
Can “engagement" mean “addiction", especially where children and teenagers are concerned? There appears to be bipartisan consensus in America that this could be the case, going by a couple of big lawsuits recently filed against Meta. A consortium of 41 US states and the District of Columbia has alleged that the social media giant deliberately used algorithms designed to get youngsters addicted to platforms such as Instagram and Facebook, and also concealed internal research that linked high social media use to higher levels of anxiety, despair, eating disorders and insomnia. The lawsuits also allege that Meta harvested and monetised the data of minors without proper consent, and asks for compensation and restitution for individuals and families that have suffered harm.
It is unusual for bipartisan initiatives to develop in the US because Democrats and Republicans are usually on opposite sides in debates. However in this case, there is a strong consensus that cuts across party lines. In the past, such a bipartisan consensus was seen in lawsuits targeting the tobacco industry, which forced companies to change their practices and print warning labels on their products.
The social-media business model depends on “engagement", which can be monetised in various ways. Every platform tries to keep users engaged for as long as possible. They sell targeted advertising based on the understanding of usage patterns.
They also study the data they harvest and use it to develop new revenue streams. The lawsuits allege that algorithms developed to maximise engagement actually exploit the neurological underpinnings of addiction. Medical experts are cited as key witnesses in these lawsuits and their testimony could be crucial.
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