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Another Failed Attempt By Congress To Help Control The Evils Of Social Media
In 2019 U.S. Senator goes after Socially Engineered Web Addictions
Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) Introduced Legislation To Curb Addictive And Deceptive Techniques That Tech Giants Use To Exploit Users.
SCARS™ REGULATORY ALERT: U.S. Senator goes after Socially Engineered Web Addictions
Tuesday, July 30, 2019
Today Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) Introduced Legislation To Curb Addictive And Deceptive Techniques That Tech Giants Use To Exploit Users.
THE SOCIETY OF CITIZENS AGAINST RELATIONSHIP SCAMS SUPPORTS THIS LEGISLATION
[lwptoc]
Social Media Addiction Reduction Technology (SMART) Act
The Social Media Addiction Reduction Technology (SMART) Act would ban certain features that are designed to be addictive, would require choice parity for consent, and would give users the power to monitor their time spent on social media.
Senator Hawley said, “Big tech has embraced a business model of addiction. Too much of the ‘innovation’ in this space is designed not to create better products, but to capture more attention by using psychological tricks that make it difficult to look away. This legislation will put an end to that and encourage true innovation by tech companies.”
Josh Golin, Executive Director of Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood, said, “Social media companies deploy a host of tactics designed to manipulate users in ways that undermines their wellbeing. We commend Senator Hawley for introducing legislation that would prohibit some of the most exploitative tactics, including those frequently deployed on children and teens.”
BACKGROUND
Social media is designed to exploit human psychology and brain physiology.
Social media is sold to us as a way to connect with distant friends and relatives.
But tech giants don’t stop there. They design platforms with a bottom-line goal in mind: Capture as much of our attention as possible and immediately sell that attention to advertisers.
Natural Stopping Points
Tech giants exploit the science of addiction [SOCIAL ENGINEERING] to put up as many obstacles as possible to keep us on their platforms. Natural stopping points, like the end of a page, naturally prompt users to choose whether to continue reading. But tech giants eliminate these mental opportunities by using structures like infinite scroll for newsfeeds and autoplay for videos.
It’s working. Social media companies capture far more of our attention than they used to.
Users now spend on average 2:08:00 a day on social media, up from 1:22:00 in 2012—a 56% increase.
WHAT SENATOR HAWLEY’S BILL DOES
- Bans infinite scroll, autoplay, and other addictive features on social mediaInfinite scroll, autoplay, and “achievements” such as “Snapstreak” exploit the science of addiction to make it difficult to leave a social media platform
- Exceptions include music playlists, social media predominantly designed to stream music, and “achievement” badges that substantially increase access to new services or functionality
- Social media platforms would have to include natural stopping points
- Requires choice parity for consent
- Companies would no longer be allowed to manipulate people into consenting by making it difficult to decline consent
- Companies would have to design “accept” and “decline” boxes using the same formats, fonts, and sizes
- Gives the FTC and HHS authority to ban other similar practices
- Rules would expire after 3 years unless ratified by Congress
- Gives users the power to monitor and control their use time on social media
- Social media companies must provide an in-app tool that enables users to track the time they spend on social media across all devices and allows users to impose caps on the amount of time they spend
The Society Of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Supports This Legislation!
Impact On Scams
In addition to the stated goals of the SMART Act, it will also have a positive impact on reducing online scams – especially those that are propagated on social media.
By helping users of social media reduce and control their behaviors on social media, it will reduce addictive behaviors that open the door for scams and scamming, and also leave users less vulnerable to the additional suggestion and ready for manipulation. We believe this will empower social media users to be in a stronger state of mind so that few manipulations will succeed.
At this time it is impossible to estimate the full extent of this improvement since no clinical or academic studies have been performed as yet, but we believe this will be a measurable amount, possibly as high as 10% fewer victims – which would translate into an estimated 100,000 fewer scam victims per year if approved and fully implemented.
TAGS: SCARS, Information About Scams, Anti-Scam, Scams, Scammers, Fraudsters, Cybercrime, Crybercriminals, Romance Scams, Scam Victims, Online Fraud, Online Crime Is Real Crime, Scam Avoidance, Married Scam Victims, Internet Infidelity, Scam Victim Divorce
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By the SCARS™ Editorial Team
Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc.
A Worldwide Crime Victims Assistance & Crime Prevention Nonprofit Organization Headquartered In Miami Florida USA & Monterrey NL Mexico, with Partners In More Than 60 Countries
To Learn More, Volunteer, or Donate Visit: www.AgainstScams.org
Contact Us: Contact@AgainstScams.org
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Important Information for New Scam Victims
- Please visit www.ScamVictimsSupport.org – a SCARS Website for New Scam Victims & Sextortion Victims
- Enroll in FREE SCARS Scam Survivor’s School now at www.SCARSeducation.org
- Please visit www.ScamPsychology.org – to more fully understand the psychological concepts involved in scams and scam victim recovery
If you are looking for local trauma counselors please visit counseling.AgainstScams.org or join SCARS for our counseling/therapy benefit: membership.AgainstScams.org
If you need to speak with someone now, you can dial 988 or find phone numbers for crisis hotlines all around the world here: www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines
A Note About Labeling!
We often use the term ‘scam victim’ in our articles, but this is a convenience to help those searching for information in search engines like Google. It is just a convenience and has no deeper meaning. If you have come through such an experience, YOU are a Survivor! It was not your fault. You are not alone! Axios!
A Question of Trust
At the SCARS Institute, we invite you to do your own research on the topics we speak about and publish, Our team investigates the subject being discussed, especially when it comes to understanding the scam victims-survivors experience. You can do Google searches but in many cases, you will have to wade through scientific papers and studies. However, remember that biases and perspectives matter and influence the outcome. Regardless, we encourage you to explore these topics as thoroughly as you can for your own awareness.
Statement About Victim Blaming
Some of our articles discuss various aspects of victims. This is both about better understanding victims (the science of victimology) and their behaviors and psychology. This helps us to educate victims/survivors about why these crimes happened and to not blame themselves, better develop recovery programs, and to help victims avoid scams in the future. At times this may sound like blaming the victim, but it does not blame scam victims, we are simply explaining the hows and whys of the experience victims have.
These articles, about the Psychology of Scams or Victim Psychology – meaning that all humans have psychological or cognitive characteristics in common that can either be exploited or work against us – help us all to understand the unique challenges victims face before, during, and after scams, fraud, or cybercrimes. These sometimes talk about some of the vulnerabilities the scammers exploit. Victims rarely have control of them or are even aware of them, until something like a scam happens and then they can learn how their mind works and how to overcome these mechanisms.
Articles like these help victims and others understand these processes and how to help prevent them from being exploited again or to help them recover more easily by understanding their post-scam behaviors. Learn more about the Psychology of Scams at www.ScamPsychology.org
Psychology Disclaimer:
All articles about psychology and the human brain on this website are for information & education only
The information provided in this article is intended for educational and self-help purposes only and should not be construed as a substitute for professional therapy or counseling.
While any self-help techniques outlined herein may be beneficial for scam victims seeking to recover from their experience and move towards recovery, it is important to consult with a qualified mental health professional before initiating any course of action. Each individual’s experience and needs are unique, and what works for one person may not be suitable for another.
Additionally, any approach may not be appropriate for individuals with certain pre-existing mental health conditions or trauma histories. It is advisable to seek guidance from a licensed therapist or counselor who can provide personalized support, guidance, and treatment tailored to your specific needs.
If you are experiencing significant distress or emotional difficulties related to a scam or other traumatic event, please consult your doctor or mental health provider for appropriate care and support.
Also read our SCARS Institute Statement about Professional Care for Scam Victims – click here to go to our ScamsNOW.com website.
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