Europe Accuses TikTok of 'Addictive Design' and Pushes for Change (nytimes.com) 36
TikTok's endless scroll of irresistible content, tailored for each person's tastes by a well-honed algorithm, has helped the service become one of the world's most popular apps. Now European Union regulators say those same features that made TikTok so successful are likely illegal. From a report: On Friday, the regulators released a preliminary decision that TikTok's infinite scroll, auto-play features and recommendation algorithm amount to an "addictive design" that violated European Union laws for online safety. The service poses potential harm to the "physical and mental well-being" of users, including minors and vulnerable adults, the European Commission, the 27-nation bloc's executive branch, said in a statement.
The findings suggest TikTok must overhaul the core features that made it a global phenomenon, or risk major fines. European officials said it was the first time that a legal standard for social media addictiveness had been applied anywhere in the world. "TikTok needs to change the basic design of its service," the European Commission said in a statement.
The findings suggest TikTok must overhaul the core features that made it a global phenomenon, or risk major fines. European officials said it was the first time that a legal standard for social media addictiveness had been applied anywhere in the world. "TikTok needs to change the basic design of its service," the European Commission said in a statement.
Re: Mi$egrowEars XP (Score:2)
Wonder what spurious justification they use to not crack down on Farcebook. "They feed our intel agencies more data than they know what to do with" maybe?
Addictive design really is a thing (Score:5, Interesting)
If you think addictive design isn't a thing, I suggest you visit Las Vegas and walk through any casino gaming floor. You'll find it a disorienting experience beyond anything you'll encounter elsewhere. Flashing lights, constant noise, lack of reference points to tell where you are. Hells, even the carpets are custom designs for the casino featuring abstract patterns in contrasting colors that confuse your sense of direction. And to top it off, mirrors everywhere that reflect the floor and make the space seem larger than it is. All of it's designed very deliberately to achieve an effect: leave you confused about where you are, what direction you need to go to get somewhere, even what time it is. The goal: keep you wandering the gaming floor for as long as possible so you have the greatest chance of getting attracted to the games and starting to play and the greatest chance of not realizing how long you've been there or how much you've truly spent playing.
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Flashing lights, constant noise, lack of reference points to tell where you are. Hells, even the carpets are custom designs for the casino featuring abstract patterns in contrasting colors that confuse your sense of direction.
You're right in that Vegas casinos are designed to keep people in and playing, but that has nothing to do with addictive design. The loud "winning" noises play into that, but not the confusingly laid out floor plans.
At any rate, the trend is away from that style of casino floor. The Bellagio and Wynn casino floors are clean and neatly laid out. The Wynn even has windows. Ditto the Aria.
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At any rate, the trend is away from that style of casino floor. The Bellagio and Wynn casino floors are clean and neatly laid out. The Wynn even has windows. Ditto the Aria.
I would expect a combination, such as little nooks and crannies that allow people to explore (for those who like that kind of thing), and somewhat obvious corridors between the primary dollar extraction hubs (for owners who like that kind of thing).
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The worst thing about addictive app (and website) design is, that companies employ real psychologist to help them design a product that makes kids addicted (and possibly makes them trick their parents in paying for in app purchases). I always wonder if the psychologists don't have any kind of ethics code, because you can't tell yourself you're helping anyone when you design a phone app to maximize usage time.
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Which Las Vegas [wikipedia.org] are you talking about? There are two, you know.
The one that means "Lost Wages".
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Well, they could demand Douyin.... (Score:1)
Douyin - the Chinese version of TikTok - is very different from what TikTok is in the West. While the latter inspires various types of narcissistic and degrading behavior, such as twerking or gluttony, the former is an absolutely wholesome platform that inspires its users to be the best versions of themselves. One doesn't see Chinese in China engaging in the same sort of antics that people in the West do: there's no way the Beijing regime would tolerate it
So instead of engaging w/ Oracle, the EU could a
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this is so childlike in it naivety as to be kinda sweet, like when your adolescent nephew has an idea they are proud of but no awareness of the greater world to ground it.
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Seems to be working pretty well for the Chinese, though! You don't see their social media rampant w/ people boasting about how they smoke joints, or marvelling at Osama's letter to America. Instead, they're busy showcasing their skills, whether it's playing violins, solving Rubik's cubes, draftsmanship drawings and so on
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This actually has been investigated: journalists have gone into what ByteDance has in China, as Douyin, vs what they have elsewhere, as TikTok. A world of difference. If there are any Chinese who indulge in moronic behavior, Douyin doesn't platform them. That's in sharp contrast to what TikTok does
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Re: Well, they could demand Douyin.... (Score:2)
I wonder if you've ever used it. I have, and I don't know if it is addictive, but it certainly isn't totally wholesome like you suggest.
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Sure, people couch some of the content with commentary and explanations, but this is done to allow people to be entertained by it without it being banned. The Chinese manipulate algorithms the same way we do, and the end result is no better.
Sounds like a good starting point... (Score:3)
Maybe they can address Youtube, Facebook and Twitter next... for the exact same reasons.
One of many. (Score:2)
The EU is exactly right about the design but they are missing that many websites and phone applications are like this. You need only look at which websites/software companies have hired neuroscientists to identify the worst offenders.
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Imagine being highly educated in a field that could help people, (neuroscientists, psychologists) but choosing to sell your soul to these parasitic companies. Back when I was looking for a job change, I avoided those types of outfits, and was glad I was able to find something else. How do they live with themselves?
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How do they live with themselves?
The same way drug dealers do. "I didn't force them to use it".
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Re: One of many. (Score:2)
And all the physics and mathematics PHDs who grab the big money working as "quants" for Wall Street and the commodities houses? No different.
Right (Score:3)
And facebooks algorithms and data sold to that forgotten comoany for targeted advertising that caused brexit aren't illegal?
everything (Score:3)
Everything not prohibited is compulsory.
More lawsuits! (Score:2)
Well, they better sue Facebook, Apple, game creators, and so on.... because this is how it works. User engagement, addiction.
I remember reading how the creators of Angry Birds hired psychologists to literally make the game addicting.
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The normal strategy is to take them on one at a time...and have the expectation that after you've won a couple, the rest will start to fall in line without being sued.
Why are "infinite scroll" and autoplay bad? (Score:2)
And why is infinite scroll bad? Just seems like a sensible convenience to me. Wouldn't mind having it here.
Is that the same? (Score:2)