Are Centralized Platforms Becoming the New Addiction Economy?

Think about it—social media giants keep us hooked the same way Big Tobacco did decades ago. Infinite feeds, algorithmic dopamine hits, personalized notifications firing at just the right moment. They've cracked the code of human psychology, monetized our attention, and turned engagement metrics into profits.

The parallels are striking. Back then, the tobacco industry knew nicotine was addictive but buried the science. Today, major platforms fully understand how their algorithms drive compulsive use—yet the business model demands exactly that. We're not smoking; we're doom-scrolling. Same addiction mechanics, different delivery system.

What's changed? The Web3 conversation. As users wake up to data privacy issues and algorithmic manipulation, decentralized alternatives and community-governed platforms are gaining traction. Unlike traditional social networks, these models return control to users and creators.

The question isn't really whether social media resembles Big Tobacco—the evidence is overwhelming. The real question is: will regulation catch up, or will user migration to transparent, decentralized platforms force the shift first? Either way, the days of unchecked algorithmic manipulation are numbered.