EU to crack down on TikTok, Instagram's 'addictive design' targeting kids • Hacker News Board

Re: EU to crack down on TikTok, Instagram's 'addictive design' targeting kids

#141

Post by toasty228 » Tue, May 12, 2026, 1:46 PM UTC

mrits wrote: post #133

jrflo wrote: post #118

I heard someone on a podcast call social media algorithms "the modern-day cigarette" and that really resonated with me. These companies know their product is addictive and bad for users, but they keep pushing it anyways. Like cigarettes, it's bad for everyone, not just kids. I made an algorithm blocker for Safari because of that and it's actually crazy how much more pleasant social media is if you don't have recommen…

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People stuck in 1940 and not able to imagine new words for new things should not be allowed to discuss these topics online.

Re: EU to crack down on TikTok, Instagram's 'addictive design' targeting kids

#142

Post by tgv » Tue, May 12, 2026, 1:46 PM UTC

mrits wrote: post #133

jrflo wrote: post #118

I heard someone on a podcast call social media algorithms "the modern-day cigarette" and that really resonated with me. These companies know their product is addictive and bad for users, but they keep pushing it anyways. Like cigarettes, it's bad for everyone, not just kids. I made an algorithm blocker for Safari because of that and it's actually crazy how much more pleasant social media is if you don't have recommen…

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What are you trying to imply (while hiding behind a rather unsuitable form of irony)? Not that the EU is taking away essential freedom, I hope?

Re: EU to crack down on TikTok, Instagram's 'addictive design' targeting kids

#143

Post by poszlem » Tue, May 12, 2026, 1:46 PM UTC

Pesthuf wrote: post #23

Tell me: why are these algorithms suddenly okay when the victim turns 18? They are bad for everyone and if you’re willing to regulate them, make them illegal to be used on anyone.

Because, in general, we see adults making bad choices as a price worth paying in a free society, but we recognize that children lack the maturity and judgment to make those choices for themselves.

Most adults also lack the maturity and judgement, but allowing adults to make bad decisions is usually less dangerous than giving someone else the power to decide which decisions are too bad to permit.

Re: EU to crack down on TikTok, Instagram's 'addictive design' targeting kids

#144

Post by mc32 » Tue, May 12, 2026, 1:47 PM UTC

schnitzelstoat wrote: post #62

conception wrote: post #19

This is pretty easy to solve. If you present data by algorithm, you are no longer an impartial common carrier and are liable for the content you present. If the user decides you don’t, ala social media 1.0.

So the user opens the app - what is the first video you show them? How does 'the user decide' from the millions upon millions of videos there are? If the user can search like in Youtube then how do you rank the results? That's also an algorithm. It isn't pretty easy to solve at all.

You know old reddit, Flickr, etc., had ways of presenting content based on different things besides impulsive engagement.

Re: EU to crack down on TikTok, Instagram's 'addictive design' targeting kids

#145

Post by threetonesun » Tue, May 12, 2026, 1:47 PM UTC

schnitzelstoat wrote: post #62

conception wrote: post #19

This is pretty easy to solve. If you present data by algorithm, you are no longer an impartial common carrier and are liable for the content you present. If the user decides you don’t, ala social media 1.0.

So the user opens the app - what is the first video you show them? How does 'the user decide' from the millions upon millions of videos there are? If the user can search like in Youtube then how do you rank the results? That's also an algorithm. It isn't pretty easy to solve at all.

The internet solved the problem of millions of millions in it's implementation details, you share a URL. You follow people, they share URLs, it grows organically, same way every website worked pre... Instagram? I'm not sure who moved to the algorithmic feed first.

Re: EU to crack down on TikTok, Instagram's 'addictive design' targeting kids

#146

Post by naravara » Tue, May 12, 2026, 1:49 PM UTC

Aurornis wrote: post #100

alkonaut wrote: post #69

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In the case of Instagram: You show the videos from the people you follow on instagram, then no more short videos at all. Possibly a search box. If you search on youtube then it can rank any way it wants, just not use e.g. anything from the viewing history. No "related videos" column. That's what YouTube used to be. But YouTube (unlike TikTok) worked well before it had rabbit holes. For TikTok the situation is worse.…

I think it would be great if all of these apps had an option to function like you propose: Your feed is a simple view of people you’ve chosen to follow. The end. Then all of the people who have trouble with self-control on infinite feeds can enable this mode, and everyone who wants the recommendation algorithm can leave it on. This is the optimal outcome that actually serves everyone’s personal goals for using these…

Why do you assume the recommendation algorithm should be the default? The algorithm is the dangerous thing, THAT should be the opt-in mode not the other way around.

IMO they should not only be opt-in, but should actually be required to publicly list the parameters and weights they’re using and allow users to tune those weights.

Re: EU to crack down on TikTok, Instagram's 'addictive design' targeting kids

#147

Post by graemep » Tue, May 12, 2026, 1:49 PM UTC

schnitzelstoat wrote: post #62

conception wrote: post #19

This is pretty easy to solve. If you present data by algorithm, you are no longer an impartial common carrier and are liable for the content you present. If the user decides you don’t, ala social media 1.0.

So the user opens the app - what is the first video you show them? How does 'the user decide' from the millions upon millions of videos there are? If the user can search like in Youtube then how do you rank the results? That's also an algorithm. It isn't pretty easy to solve at all.

I would say, no *personalised* algorithms other than those based on deliberate user choices would solve the problem. So, what user chooses to follow, or the same for everyone in the country.

Re: EU to crack down on TikTok, Instagram's 'addictive design' targeting kids

#148

Post by wackget » Tue, May 12, 2026, 1:49 PM UTC

jrflo wrote: post #118

I heard someone on a podcast call social media algorithms "the modern-day cigarette" and that really resonated with me. These companies know their product is addictive and bad for users, but they keep pushing it anyways. Like cigarettes, it's bad for everyone, not just kids. I made an algorithm blocker for Safari because of that and it's actually crazy how much more pleasant social media is if you don't have recommen…

The modern-day cigarette is such a perfect metaphor for social media. A cabal of unfathomably wealthy companies spreading their harmful products across the world; making them as addictive as possible while actively burying the research which proves how harmful they are. I truly hope one day we'll look back on social media and smartphone use the same way we regard smoking.

Re: EU to crack down on TikTok, Instagram's 'addictive design' targeting kids

#149

Post by afavour » Tue, May 12, 2026, 1:49 PM UTC

shevy-java wrote: post #139

jrflo wrote: post #118

I heard someone on a podcast call social media algorithms "the modern-day cigarette" and that really resonated with me. These companies know their product is addictive and bad for users, but they keep pushing it anyways. Like cigarettes, it's bad for everyone, not just kids. I made an algorithm blocker for Safari because of that and it's actually crazy how much more pleasant social media is if you don't have recommen…

That rationale never convinced me. Smoking has definite physiological effects. Molecules bind to receptors or neurons and initiate cascades/responses. I don't see this with user interface in a browser at all. IF you wish to reason for that, why are regular ads allowed? They piss me off. Why do I have to see them? They cause my brain an addiction to want to buy crappy products. So why is there no ban here? Let's face…

> Yeah they try to restrict what we can do. We oldschool people call this fascism.

Come on, this is an absurd statement. Governments regulate what people can do, yes. It’s part of their role. It’s why I can’t sell tainted meat on the street. It’s a good thing.

Of course there is a line you can cross where the control becomes excessive but “the government sets rules around what people can do, that’s fascism!” is absurd.

Re: EU to crack down on TikTok, Instagram's 'addictive design' targeting kids

#150

Post by rvnx » Tue, May 12, 2026, 1:49 PM UTC

toasty228 wrote: post #141

mrits wrote: post #133

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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People stuck in 1940 and not able to imagine new words for new things should not be allowed to discuss these topics online.

the correct modern word is censorship

  DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN

there has to be a bug in Europe on some news websites...

at least we can use VPNs, for now

protecting the children is always a good pretext but the real goal with this addiction law is to have one extra leverage on the platforms