Editor's Notebook

Editor’s note: (This information was written by Suzanne Reed, PhD)

The chances are pretty good you know someone who spends way too much time on Facebook or maybe even is addicted to the platform.

Facebook addiction can be recognized by someone using the platform almost constantly, using Facebook to distract from real-life unpleasant emotions, and being unable to disconnect from the platform.

A Facebook addiction is a behavioral addiction where someone compulsively engages in online interactions to the point where it interferes with their functioning at home, work and school.

The signs of Facebook addiction include:

Obsessive thoughts about Facebook.

Use of Facebook to relieve unpleasant emotions in real life.

Inability to stop or curb Facebook use after several attempts.

Experiencing distress or withdrawal from not being able to use Facebook.

Impact on work, school, or relationships due to problematic use of Facebook.

Facebook addiction is often included under the umbrella term of social media addiction, but it is important to note that different social media platforms come with their own unique symptoms and risks.

When Facebook use becomes a replacement for face-to-face connection, becomes compulsive, or starts causing health issues like sleep disturbances, it may be time to evaluate if there is a social media addiction present.

Facebook is addictive due to its algorithms, which are a set of tech rules that decide which posts appear in a person’s feed.

In the early days, the posts with the most likes got the most attention.

Over the years, advancements allowed Facebook to personalize every user’s feed based on their preferences, which they learn about by tracking internet activity.

It’s so invasive that back in 2019 Facebook, Inc. was ordered to pay a record-breaking $5 billion penalty and submit to new restrictions and a modified corporate structure that holds the company accountable for the decisions it makes about its users’ privacy.

That was to settle Federal Trade Commission charges that the company violated a 2012 FTC order by deceiving users about their ability to control the privacy of their personal information.

The $5 billion penalty against Facebook was the largest ever imposed on any company for violating consumers’ privacy and almost 20 times greater than the largest privacy or data security penalty ever imposed worldwide.

It was one of the largest penalties ever assessed by the U.S. government for any violation.

$20 billion was erased from Mark Zuckerberg’s fortune, Meta stock fell after back-to-back court losses.

A New Mexico jury ordered Meta to pay $375 million in civil penalties after it found the company misled consumers about the safety of its platforms and enabled harm, including child sexual exploitation, against its users.