UK PM urges social media firms to tackle addictive “endless scroll” features

The United Kingdom Prime Minister Keir Starmer has said that social media companies must take action to limit uncontrolled content consumption among young users.

The PM, speaking to BBC radio, made it clear that platforms such as TikTok and Instagram should address infinite scroll mechanisms that cause young users to spend hours watching videos, Reuters reports.

“We're consulting on whether there should be a ⁠ban for under 16s. But I think ​equally important, the addictive scrolling mechanisms are really problematic to ​my mind. They need to go,” he said.

The prime minister added that social media algorithms often encourage addictive behaviour, and parents are increasingly calling for government intervention.

By Bakhtiyar Abbasov