Open petition: Require social medias to have an opt-out for short-form scrollable content

Created by Harry Ethan Penhale
Closes on 8 December 2026

The government should mandate for social media platforms to have an opt-out feature for short-form scrollable content on their platforms. The algorithms that social media platforms employ are addictive by design, and are most effective on short-form content such as 'Reels' on Instagram.

I feel that the implementation of such a regulation would reduce the addictive nature of such platforms and hence would improve productivity. The short-form content of these sites is addictive by nature and can cause individuals to spend hours upon hours stuck on these platforms due to the dopamine rush that it brings. The opt-out feature would allow individuals to take back control of their social media without having to give up access to it, reducing addiction and likely improving mental health.

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