Social media has had a common presence in our lives, and while it can be fun to occasionally scroll through apps like Instagram or Twitter, it can also be dangerous. According to addictioncenter.com, five to ten percent of Americans fit the criteria for social media addiction. With social media becoming so popular, it’s no surprise that people are becoming addicted to it. However, it’s not our fault that we’ve become addicted. 

According to hult.edu, social media developers design their apps using habit forming methods to keep users coming back for more. One of these methods is called the ATARI model. ATARI stands for attitude, trigger, action, reward and investment. Developers examine all these categories to integrate their apps into the daily lives of users. 

 “Kids are just so [involved] with their phones, and old people that I’ve talked to will just talk and talk and talk,” said junior Hailey Robinson. “They’re not distracted by anything, they’re focused on you. Kids always seem so jittery when you talk to them. They’re glancing around, their hands are moving out towards their phone.”

Not only is social media designed to keep us hooked, notifications also release dopamine in our brains the same way gambling and drugs do, according to addictioncenter.com. 

“It triggers that same center of the brain that would trigger if you do something you enjoy naturally, or take a drug, or something like that that gives you that pleasure,” said psychology instructor Otis Seals. “A lot of times you find under social media addiction people are doing things or activities solely so they can post it online. That’s where it really becomes an addiction.”

Our addiction to social media can’t only be our fault because it was designed to be addicting, and as a young generation, we can’t be held accountable for the actions of corporations.

Teens aren’t the only ones falling victim to social media addiction, though. Cbs.nl found that 16.7 percent of twenty-five to thirty-four year olds suffer from social media addiction, and nine percent of thirty-five to forty-four year olds do as well.

Although it’s not completely our fault that we’re addicted, there are still several steps we can take to prevent ourselves from becoming too hooked. According to addictioncenter.com, one of the best ways we can prevent ourselves from becoming addicted is to take a break from social media and turn off the notifications for a while. 

While we can play a part in preventing addiction, social media developers must also step up. It’s because of them that we are getting too hooked on social media, as they are aware that they are designing their products to keep us coming back for more. 

“Everybody’s connected to [social media] … I think kids don’t know how to talk to other people,” said Robinson. “I don’t think they know how to interact with other kids their age because they’re so hooked on [social media] and dependent on it, and it sucks. Social media sucks.”