From Newsgroup: comp.misc

Social media networks are optimized for what they call “engagement” --
that is features that, by their nature, almost invariably lead to
addictive behaviour from their users. Because that is an inseparable
part of the mechanism by which they earn their revenue.

Now the EU regulatory authorities are taking direct aim at these very
features of those networks <https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2026/07/disable-auto-play-and-infinite-scroll-or-risk-massive-fines-eu-tells-meta/>.
Can it succeed in reining them in?
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From Newsgroup: comp.misc

Lawrence D´Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> wrote:

Social media networks are optimized for what they call “engagement” -- that is features that, by their nature, almost invariably lead to
addictive behaviour from their users. Because that is an inseparable
part of the mechanism by which they earn their revenue.

Now the EU regulatory authorities are taking direct aim at these very features of those networks <https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2026/07/disable-auto-play-and-infinite-scroll-or-risk-massive-fines-eu-tells-meta/>.
Can it succeed in reining them in?

At some point companies will tire of endless EU fines and mandates and
leave the market. We have not reached this point yet as companies keep
special funds, amounting to a tiny percent of the profits, specifically to
pay off bribes and fines when shaken down. But these places get hungrier
each year, and more demanding. Some day soon X will make the first move
then others will follow. Steam.

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From Newsgroup: comp.misc

On Sun, 12 Jul 2026 03:16:00 -0000 (UTC), Oregonian Haruspex wrote:

At some point companies will tire of endless EU fines and mandates
and leave the market.

You mean “American companies”? Not gonna happen. 🇪🇺 is huge -- too much money to be made there, restrictions or no restrictions. They
will find some way to suck it up -- just as they find ways, wherever,
possible, to continue doing business in China.

Because to do otherwise is to leave the way open for homegrown
European companies to arise, compliant with EU-based standards, and
maybe even export this novel concept, of the user’s needs coming
before those of the platform owner, to the USA.

None of these American companies wants that to happen, would they?
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From Newsgroup: comp.misc

On 11-July-26 8:44 am, Lawrence D’Oliveiro wrote:

Social media networks are optimized for what they call “engagement” -- that is features that, by their nature, almost invariably lead to
addictive behaviour from their users. Because that is an inseparable
part of the mechanism by which they earn their revenue.

Now the EU regulatory authorities are taking direct aim at these very features of those networks <https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2026/07/disable-auto-play-and-infinite-scroll-or-risk-massive-fines-eu-tells-meta/>.
Can it succeed in reining them in?

Auto-play has always seemed to me to be a fraud on their advertisers.
And it seems to keep being turned back on.

They can be showing advertisements, and charging for them, when there's
no one there to watch them.

Sylvia.
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From Newsgroup: comp.misc

On 2026-07-12, Oregonian Haruspex wrote:

Lawrence D´Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> wrote:

Social media networks are optimized for what they call “engagement” -- >> that is features that, by their nature, almost invariably lead to
addictive behaviour from their users. Because that is an inseparable
part of the mechanism by which they earn their revenue.

Now the EU regulatory authorities are taking direct aim at these very
features of those networks
<https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2026/07/disable-auto-play-and-infinite-scroll-or-risk-massive-fines-eu-tells-meta/>.
Can it succeed in reining them in?

At some point companies will tire of endless EU fines and mandates and
leave the market. We have not reached this point yet as companies keep special funds, amounting to a tiny percent of the profits, specifically to pay off bribes and fines when shaken down. But these places get hungrier
each year, and more demanding. Some day soon X will make the first move
then others will follow. Steam.

I fail to see the issue with they moving away from the EU market. It'd
mean the regulations are working as intended.
--
Nuno Silva
--- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.misc

On 2026-07-12, Lawrence D’Oliveiro wrote:

On Sun, 12 Jul 2026 03:16:00 -0000 (UTC), Oregonian Haruspex wrote:

At some point companies will tire of endless EU fines and mandates
and leave the market.

You mean “American companies”? Not gonna happen. 🇪🇺 is huge -- too much money to be made there, restrictions or no restrictions. They
will find some way to suck it up -- just as they find ways, wherever, possible, to continue doing business in China.

Because to do otherwise is to leave the way open for homegrown
European companies to arise, compliant with EU-based standards, and
maybe even export this novel concept, of the user’s needs coming
before those of the platform owner, to the USA.

None of these American companies wants that to happen, would they?

They should probably get rid of their websites and anything web-based,
then. :-P
--
Nuno Silva
--- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.misc

On 2026-07-12, Sylvia Else wrote:

On 11-July-26 8:44 am, Lawrence D’Oliveiro wrote:

Social media networks are optimized for what they call “engagement” -- >> that is features that, by their nature, almost invariably lead to
addictive behaviour from their users. Because that is an inseparable
part of the mechanism by which they earn their revenue.

Now the EU regulatory authorities are taking direct aim at these very
features of those networks
<https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2026/07/disable-auto-play-and-infinite-scroll-or-risk-massive-fines-eu-tells-meta/>.
Can it succeed in reining them in?

Auto-play has always seemed to me to be a fraud on their
advertisers. And it seems to keep being turned back on.

They can be showing advertisements, and charging for them, when
there's no one there to watch them.

This is not much different from other usage of advertising. They'll get
paid no matter whether the ad had any effect. So it'd not really be a
different fraud.
--
Nuno Silva
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