Is social media addictive? The science reveals what's at stake

"Almost a third of American adults regularly doomscroll, with millennials and Gen Zers being even more likely to engage in this behavior due to the endless nature of social media feeds."

"The American Academy of Pediatrics has a center dedicated to digital well-being, which highlights that concerning social media use can impact school performance and social withdrawal, but may not always indicate addiction."

"The debate over whether social media can be addictive is central to numerous lawsuits against companies like Meta, TikTok, YouTube, and Snap, with significant implications for the industry."

A 2024 survey revealed that nearly a third of American adults engage in doomscrolling, particularly millennials and Gen Z. Social media's endless feeds encourage continuous scrolling, leading to potential addiction. The American Academy of Pediatrics has a center focused on digital well-being, noting that problematic social media use can affect academic performance and social interactions, but not all concerning behaviors equate to addiction. Ongoing lawsuits against major platforms like Meta and YouTube question the addictive nature of social media.

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