ElDiario has received a report from the European Parliament calling on the European Commission to adopt regulatory measures against the “smart” design of social networks. She wants these measures to be taken mainly on Instagram, Tik Tok and Facebook platforms, due to concerns about the “negative impact” these apps can have on child and youth mental health. It is about dealing with an “addictive design” that aims to keep the user as long as possible on digital platforms.

The report received 38 votes in favour and one abstention in the European Parliament. It proposes to the European Commission the "right not to disturb digitally" and is scheduled to go through plenary in the coming weeks. The European Commission is considering these proposals and intends to incorporate them in the review of fair digital consumption rules.

The main objective of regulation is to address specific “strategically designed” elements that can generate “addiction” in the design of social networks. The proposed regulation aims to direct social networks towards a “less dependent” and “ethical” design.

Elements that generate “addiction”

Among these design elements are the scroll function of announcer, notifications and faces news. Scroll, for example, is a function that allows the continuous appearance of content. Encourage the user to continue consuming content showing the ones they like most. Parliament calls for the role to be limited and argues that “greater transparency” is needed in the functioning of social media algorithms.

As for notifications, the report says that “they create the need to be permanently mobile.” The regulation states that notifications are disabled by default so that the user “has more control” over their use. It is about promoting a more “balanced” and “less harmful” online environment for mental health.

The report highlights the importance of not spreading fake news on social media. The Digital Services Act (DSA), which has been in force since August, requires big platforms to be “responsible for information” and severely penalizes their non-compliance. The measure has been implemented to “combat misinformation” in order to ensure a “safer and more ethical digital environment”.

Idealized bodies

The European Parliament has included in its report the so-called "selfie dysmorphia" as a harmful consequence of social networks. Parliament has pointed out that the “use of filters that seek perfection” generates anxiety and low self-esteem: “The selfie dysmorphia refers to the distorted perception of one’s physical appearance as a consequence of the effect of the images retouched and idealized on social networks.” It is what it intends to regulate especially to care for the mental health of young people.