Built to Hook
Social media platforms are designed to capture our attention, even at the cost of young people's wellbeing. We want that to change.
The Problem
(1) Just quickly watching a video, and suddenly an hour has passed. What sounds familiar to many is not just a matter of self-discipline. Instagram, TikTok, and co. are designed to make it as hard as possible to leave. The feed never ends, the next video starts automatically, notifications lure us back. At the same time, algorithms learn from our behavior which content interests us most and continuously deliver new material. What feels like casual entertainment follows a clear principle: maximum attention for as long as possible.
(2) When a few minutes turn into too many hours. Especially for children and adolescents, this constant availability can become a problem. The phone is picked up once more before bed, it’s hard to keep the app closed while studying, and less time remains for sports, hobbies, or other activities. Such difficulties are by no means uncommon: according to a WHO youth health study, the proportion of adolescents with problematic social media use rose from 7 to 11 % between 2018 and 2022.¹ In Austria, 10 % of girls and 7 % of boys show corresponding signs.² This is not merely about screen time, but above all about adolescents increasingly losing control over how much time they spend on these platforms.
(3) The effects extend into daily life. The WHO links problematic social media use with less sleep and later bedtimes, with potential consequences for academic performance as well.¹ Yet it is not only measurable harm that makes the design of these platforms problematic. Even when it proves difficult to limit one's own usage despite repeated attempts, the question arises as to what role the platforms themselves play. After all, their features are specifically engineered to keep us scrolling.
(4) The design has long faced criticism. The European Commission is now addressing these mechanisms as well. In February 2026, it preliminarily found that TikTok's addictive design violates European law. It took a particularly critical view of infinite scrolling, autoplaying videos, and personalized recommendations, which can encourage near-unconscious continued use. The effectiveness of screen time limits and parental control options was also called into question.³
(5) Platforms could do things differently. The Commission considers fundamental design changes necessary, such as more effective screen time breaks - especially at night - or adjustments to the recommendation system.³ The goal is not to reject social media altogether. It is about ensuring that its use does not come at the expense of children's and adolescents' autonomy.
addictive Design
The problem is less about the content but more about the design.
It is not just about individual posts or videos, but specifically about the mechanisms behind them - the fact that platforms are deliberately engineered to hold our attention for as long as possible, even at the expense of young people's well-being. Yet this design is not a technical necessity; it is a conscious choice. A feed can have an end, videos do not have to autoplay, and algorithms do not need to track every interaction just to keep users glued to the screen. Platforms could design their products differently - they simply choose not to.
What we want
We are no longer willing to accept that the attention of children and young people is turned into a business model at the expense of their well-being. That is why, together with partners from Germany and the Netherlands, we are exploring legal avenues to put a stop to such practices. Our goal is …
… to change the design. Stop platforms pushing children into excessive use.
… to hold them accountable. Make companies answer for the harm caused.
… to remove the incentive. End the profit in harmful design.
What is already being tried in court in the US, we want to enforce in Europe as well—based on European law, before European courts, and with the ambition to effect change that goes beyond any single case.
Who we are
AllRise Impact is a Vienna-based non-profit organization dedicated to strategic litigation for societal change. We use the law as a tool where political measures and voluntary commitments fall short of effectively tackling grievances. For this initiative, we collaborate with partner organizations, legal professionals, and experts across science, medicine, and technology in several European countries.
Sources
¹ WHO Europe, Health Behaviour in School aged Children study (HBSC), 2024 report on social media use
² HBSC Austria
³ European Commission, preliminary findings on TikTok, February 2026