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By Rodrigo Santos Andrade
The 5 simple tweaks to make social media less addictive
visibility comment0 event June 18, 2026 timer 00:32
Social apps like Instagram, TikTok and Facebook are designed to be addictive. What would they look like if we removed the worst features?
The Conversation, CC BY-SAWe’ve all been there: lying on the sofa at an awkward angle, phone in hand, scrolling through reels. It’s so easy to lose track of time, and so hard to disconnect.
Big tech has been hooking us on their products, and they can no longer deny it. Meta and Google recently lost a landmark court case in the United States. A jury ruled the firms deliberately designed their social media platforms to be addictive, resulting in real harm to the young plaintiff.
So, what are the design features that make us so addicted? And what would a better social media app look like without them? Using our expertise in interface design, how people interact with information and how we can educate people about computers, we gave it a try.
➡️ Read the interactive story here
Dana McKay has received money from ACCAN for work on safer social media, and received a Google PhD fellowship in 2016Michael Cowling does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Tags: Academic Journalism, The Conversation, The Conversation Academic News
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