Recently, Jack Dorsey, the CEO of Twitter, and Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook’s CEO disagreed about whether social media platforms are addictive for people or not?
During a hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee, a discussion was being held about the content moderation policies of various platforms and the impact of the recent US General Election. When Senator Lindsey Graham asked both Jack and Mark about their opinion whether their platforms can become addictive for the users, both answered differently.
As per Jack Dorsey, (like any other tech) social media platforms including Twitter and Facebook can make users addicted to continue using them. His opinion is in line with the opinions of several psychologists also who say that these social media networks give the users a sense of well-being by giving them a feeling of connection with others. One post after the other, and the urge of users to keep returning to these platforms to see newer posts one after another is like a trigger for their dopamine centers in the brain. And that is why psychologists believe that all social media platforms tend to become addicting for their users.
However, Mark Zuckerberg is of a different opinion. He stated in front of the Senate Committee that he believes that all the research regarding this matter is still inconclusive, and no one can say for sure if the social media platforms are addicting or not. However, he also stated that he believes that users should have more control over how they want things to happen over these platforms, and how they want these platforms to impact them exactly. As per Zuckerberg, his company is more focused on providing these controls to the users than ever before now.
Jack Dorsey said that although these tools are addicting in his opinion, he believes that it is important to recognize and acknowledge the addicting power of the social media platforms that they design and build for the world to use. The makers have to be aware of the impact and consequences to provide awareness to the customers and o guide them with better patterns of usage. The more informed the users are, the better it is for everyone.
So, both these people have different opinions but both of them suggest that more control and more guided usage of these platforms is the key to not make them addictive. However, Tristan Harris, who is an advocate for better and more humane technology thinks that both of them are wrong.
According to him, if a user finds a kick with every new post and if they are having this strong urge to keep looking at their social media platforms after every little while, then both Jack’s and Zuckerberg’s suggestions will not have any impact on that user. These platforms need to focus on designing their apps in such a way that real connections are made instead of giving the users a false sense of connection and well-being.
During a hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee, a discussion was being held about the content moderation policies of various platforms and the impact of the recent US General Election. When Senator Lindsey Graham asked both Jack and Mark about their opinion whether their platforms can become addictive for the users, both answered differently.
As per Jack Dorsey, (like any other tech) social media platforms including Twitter and Facebook can make users addicted to continue using them. His opinion is in line with the opinions of several psychologists also who say that these social media networks give the users a sense of well-being by giving them a feeling of connection with others. One post after the other, and the urge of users to keep returning to these platforms to see newer posts one after another is like a trigger for their dopamine centers in the brain. And that is why psychologists believe that all social media platforms tend to become addicting for their users.
However, Mark Zuckerberg is of a different opinion. He stated in front of the Senate Committee that he believes that all the research regarding this matter is still inconclusive, and no one can say for sure if the social media platforms are addicting or not. However, he also stated that he believes that users should have more control over how they want things to happen over these platforms, and how they want these platforms to impact them exactly. As per Zuckerberg, his company is more focused on providing these controls to the users than ever before now.
Sen. Lindsey Graham: "Do you have any...evidence to suggest that your platforms can be addictive?"
— ABC News Live (@ABCNewsLive) November 17, 2020
Zuckerberg: "Most of the research suggests that the vast majority of people do not...experience these services as addictive."
Dorsey: "I do think...these tools can be addictive." pic.twitter.com/eL9TrqbEli
Jack Dorsey said that although these tools are addicting in his opinion, he believes that it is important to recognize and acknowledge the addicting power of the social media platforms that they design and build for the world to use. The makers have to be aware of the impact and consequences to provide awareness to the customers and o guide them with better patterns of usage. The more informed the users are, the better it is for everyone.
So, both these people have different opinions but both of them suggest that more control and more guided usage of these platforms is the key to not make them addictive. However, Tristan Harris, who is an advocate for better and more humane technology thinks that both of them are wrong.
According to him, if a user finds a kick with every new post and if they are having this strong urge to keep looking at their social media platforms after every little while, then both Jack’s and Zuckerberg’s suggestions will not have any impact on that user. These platforms need to focus on designing their apps in such a way that real connections are made instead of giving the users a false sense of connection and well-being.
Photo: Pool / Getty Images
