Algorithmic Addiction by Design: Big Tech's Leverage of Dark Patterns to Maintain Market Dominance and its Challenge for Content Moderation

Abstract: Today's largest technology corporations, especially ones with consumer-facing products such as social media platforms, use a variety of unethical and often outright illegal tactics to maintain their dominance. One tactic that has risen to the level of the public consciousness is the concept of addictive design, evidenced by the fact that excessive social media use has become a salient problem, particularly in the mental and social development of adolescents and young adults. As tech companies have developed more and more sophisticated AI models to power their algorithmic recommender systems, they will become more successful at their goal of ensuring addiction to their platforms. This paper explores how online platforms intentionally cultivate addictive user behaviors and the broad societal implications, including on the health and well-being of children and adolescents. It presents the usage of addictive design - including the usage of dark patterns, persuasive design elements, and recommender algorithms - as a tool leveraged by technology corporations to maintain their dominance. Lastly, it describes the challenge of content moderation to address the problem and gives an overview of solutions at the policy level to counteract addictive design.