People are mad at Facebook — for being too big, too powerful, too omniscient. Last week a co-founder of the company joined the calls from politicians like Senator Elizabeth Warren for the government to break up the social media giant.
Facebook has repeatedly asked for regulation, with CEO Mark Zuckerberg appealing to the government in a Washington Post op-ed this spring. Thus far, regulatory proposals have treated Facebook as a traditional telecom or media company. But the unending public anger toward the company, coupled with a sense of helplessness toward the influence it has over society, suggests that regulation shouldn't be approached with benevolence. Given the numerous studies describing the addictive nature of social media, perhaps Facebook should be regulated the same way as other vices like tobacco, alcohol and gambling.
Earlier this month, Facebook co-founder Chris Hughes argued that Facebook should be broken up because of its lack of accountability. In the column, he describes himself compulsively scrolling Instagram as his infant son plays alone on the floor. Hughes acknowledges that his behavior is not good for the child, but he says he can't pull his attention from the screen. It's reminiscent of an old anti-drug commercial, where an elderly woman sits woeful and alone at a prepared dinner table. Voiceover: "Just tell Grandma you blew off the dinner plans you made with her because you were stoned." Just tell your firstborn you missed his first words because you were checking Facebook.