July 10, 2026
Scroll me maybe?
Capitalism Gone Wrong
Meta made people stay longer online, and the comments went absolutely feral
TLDR: Meta boasted that its systems got people to spend even more time on Facebook and Instagram, while European regulators warned that this addictive design may be harming users. In the comments, people split between blaming capitalism itself, mocking Meta’s excuses, and admitting they’re trapped in the scroll too.
Meta is under fire after the European Commission said the company may not have properly weighed the harm of its addictive design, especially for kids and vulnerable adults. That landed badly next to Mark Zuckerberg bragging that Meta’s recommendation systems boosted time spent by 8% on Facebook and 6% on Instagram—which, critics say, is basically the corporate version of saying, “Yes, the slot machine is working beautifully.” The original argument was blunt: more time on the apps means more ad money, and at Meta’s giant size that could mean a truly wild amount of human life being fed into the scroll.
But the real fireworks were in the comments. One camp said calling this “capitalism gone wrong” is too generous—this is capitalism working exactly as designed. Another commenter mocked the idea that Meta merely failed to assess the risk, laughing that the company probably assessed it just fine and shrugged, “Do it anyway!” That line basically became the thread’s villain-origin meme.
Then came the painfully relatable confessions. One user admitted they hate doomscrolling and still keep doing it on Reddit, YouTube Shorts, and even Hacker News, which gave the whole discussion a messy, honest twist: people are furious at Meta, but also side-eyeing their own habits. The thread bounced between dark jokes, anti-corporate rage, and tired self-awareness—less “is this bad?” and more “how bad is bad enough?”
Key Points
- •The article cites a European Commission statement saying its investigation indicated Meta did not adequately assess risks from the addictive design of its platforms.
- •Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg said on the October 30, 2024 Q3 2024 earnings call that AI-driven feed and video recommendation improvements increased time spent by 8% on Facebook and 6% on Instagram.
- •Meta CFO Susan Li said in a follow-up call that stronger engagement and ad performance were translating into revenue gains, while reiterating the same increases in time spent.
- •The article argues that these quotes show a direct relationship between increased user engagement and Meta’s advertising revenue model.
- •The article states that Meta has become highly effective at optimizing retention through AI and product development, and calls for the company to reflect on the negative effects of that model.