Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) has introduced the Social Media Addiction Reduction Technology (SMART) Act, a bill that -- if passed -- would restrict social media platforms from using `addictive and deceptive techniques´ allegedly intended to `exploit users.´ The restrictions would apply to `certain features´ like endless scrolling; the bill would also require companies to provide a way for users to monitor their social media usage and would require `choice parity for consent.´
Senator Hawley accuses big tech companies of designing social media platforms to capture users´ attention to sell their attention to advertisers. The legislation targets multiple design elements that are allegedly addictive, including endlessly scrolling pages that auto-load new content when the user nears the bottom, as well as auto-playing videos and arguably pointless achievements earned by using the platforms.
The legislation targets multiple design elements that are allegedly addictive, including endlessly scrolling pages that auto-load new content when the user nears the bottom, as well as auto-playing videos and arguably pointless achievements earned by using the platforms.
The bill would provide exceptions for certain design choices, such as allowing achievement badges that `substantially increase´ the user´s access to new features or services, as well as exclusions for social media platforms that mainly revolve around music streaming and for music playlists.
If the legislation were passed, social media companies would be required to feature natural stopping points on their platforms, eliminating the popular infinite newsfeed design, and these platforms would also need to make it easier for users to decline consent by prominently displaying `decline´ boxes with the same size and design as `accept´ boxes.
Beyond the stated restrictions, the bill would grant the HHS and FTC authority to `ban other similar practices,´ something that would expire after three years unle ...
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