CNBC: EU to crack down on TikTok, Instagram’s ‘addictive design’ targeting kids on social media. “The EU is clamping down on social media firms and plans to target ‘addictive design’ features on TikTok and Instagram as governments worldwide look to protect children from the harms of social media.”

PsyPost: Problematic social media use is linked to how feelings of freedom relate to mental health. ” The findings indicate that while feeling free generally supports better psychological well-being, unhealthy attachments to social media tend to weaken the benefits of personal freedom but strengthen the positive effects of national pride.”

Reuters: Meta faces New Mexico trial that could force changes to Facebook, other platforms. “The case, which will be tried before a judge in Santa Fe, stems from ‌a lawsuit filed by New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez, a Democrat, accusing the social media giant of designing its products to addict young users and failing to protect ‌children from sexual exploitation on its platforms.”

#AI #chatbots #DigitalAddiction #MentalHealth

'New research shows some people are developing addictive patterns of AI chatbot use—and it’s affecting their daily lives.'

https://news.ubc.ca/2026/04/are-you-addicted-to-your-ai-chatbot-it-might-be-by-design/

University of British Columbia: Are you addicted to your AI chatbot? It might be by design. “AI chatbots can grant almost any request—a celebrity in love with you, a research assistant, a book character sprung to life—instantly and with little effort. New research presented at the 2026 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems suggests that this genie-like quality is fuelling AI […]

University of Cambridge: Gambling ads on social media reach more than twice as many men as women. “Researchers led by the University of Cambridge analysed 411 advertisements from 88 licensed gambling operators in Ireland and found that young men were reached 2.3 times more than women across Meta platforms including Facebook and Instagram, even if the ads were not directly targeting men. The age […]

PsyPost: Short video addiction is linked to lower life satisfaction through loneliness and anxiety. “A new study published The Journal of Psychology provides evidence that problematic use of short video platforms is linked to higher feelings of loneliness, which subsequently relate to elevated anxiety and a decrease in a person’s contentment with their life.”

Reuters: Meta must face youth addiction lawsuit by Massachusetts, court rules. “Meta Platforms must face a lawsuit by Massachusetts’ attorney general alleging the company designed its Instagram social media platform to addict children, the state’s top court ruled on Friday.”

The article discusses how social anxiety in young adults is linked to a higher risk of developing digital addictions, with social comparison on online platforms identified as a key mechanism. A longitudinal study with 330 participants shows that anxiety can lead to increased online comparison, which in turn predicts addictive digital behaviors over time.

This topic is of interest to psychology readers because it highlights how emotional vulnerabilities interact with online environments and social comparison processes, shaping emerging patterns of digital dependence.

Article Title: Anxious young adults are more likely to develop digital addictions

Link to PsyPost Article: https://www.psypost dot org/how-social-anxiety-and-screen-time-comparison-fuel-digital-addiction-2026-03-26/

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#digitaladdiction #socialanxiety #socialcomparison #emergingadulthood #psychologyresearch