Three simple rules could change Facebook for the better

Facebook’s own research scientists have admitted that using the platform, and social media in general, could negatively affect your mood. Some writers and public figures responded by calling social media a dopamine shot for millennial junkies, arguing that it should be abandoned.

The parallels with drug addiction aren’t unfounded – but social media has obvious benefits as well. While it’s not the utopian virtual world tech giants tried to sell, it isn’t a dangerous digital gateway drug either. We must introduce guidelines to govern the provision and use of social media.

First, we need guidelines to moderate its use, not renounce it outright. Alcohol in excess causes problems, yet we haven’t banned it altogether – we have simply moderated it. Likewise, we need recommendations for hours spent on social media, information campaigns on the risks of excessive use, and to establish stern internet controls on use by vulnerable populations, like minors.

Second, we need guidelines for company accountability on content. A major problem with social media relates to the oversight of dangerous and illegal content, such as the beheading videos posted on Facebook in 2014 by Islamic State. Accountability for companies involves accounting for activities, accepting responsibility for them, and transparency of operation. Social media companies need more responsive oversight mechanisms for posted content, catching illegal material without publishing it.

Third, we need guidelines for developing technology in the first place. There is a lack of democracy on this front. Key leaders in technology companies, such as Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg, can influence social affairs and advise political leaders. The reverse must happen as well.