US states sue TikTok, claiming its addictive features harm youth mental health
https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2024/oct/08/us-states-tiktok-lawsuit-mental-health
On closer inspection, this case misuses neuroscience so severely that it seems like it could potentially make it illegal in the US for young people to have fun.
Seriously
/1
There are so many neuropsychological flaws in this case
E.g. filings state TikTok is designed to be "intentionally addictive". The conclusion here is that TikTok, a software construct, causes addiction.
Many would agree that this is valid. But, do you know who *doesn't* think it's valid?
THE AMERCIAN PSYCHIATRIC ASSOCIATION!
/2
The American Psychiatric Association (APA) produces the DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders), a core text which lists all the mental disorders, and their diagnostic criteria, acknowledged by the APA.
Various forms of addictions are in there. But 'TikTok addiction' is not.
/3
You may disagree. You may think the DSM/APA are too restrictive/narrow/biased/etc. And you may be 100% correct to think this. That's a very salient arument.
But even so, in the here and now, the point remains that US states are suing TikTok, in US courts, on the grounds that it causes an addictive disorder, one that, according to the US medical system, doesn't exist
/4
Dean Burnett (that brains guy)
TrashBoat