The Battle of New Social Platforms and the Rising Concern of Social Media Addiction

Just two days after the launch of Mate’s new social network platform, Threads, positioned as a direct competitor to Twitter, the global user registration numbers skyrocketed beyond 70 million. Many users, originally from Instagram and Twitter, were enticed to explore and switch platforms. However, the emergence of such new social media platforms has also led to a new social phenomenon termed ‘social media addiction’, a form of behavioral addiction. This addiction is defined by an individual’s inability to control a behavior, despite knowing its potential negative impact on physical, mental, and financial health. This is similar to past addiction behaviors including drug use, smoking, gambling, and excessive drinking.

A study conducted in the United States reveals that over 63% of the global population, nearly 3.81 billion people, have become users of at least one social media platform. This escalating issue of social media addiction is gradually attracting public attention.

People primarily use social platforms to keep in touch with friends and stay updated with news, while some simply pass time. But, when does…