The Human Connection Drug: Should Addiction to Social Media Be Legislated Out?

Individuals, particularly those in the Western world spend large and increasing amounts of time online, and particularly so on social media (SM). Internet addiction (IA), spending too much time on the Internet at the detriment of health and social interactions, has long been a concern in many countries, where a range of measures have been deployed to curb excessive use. Preventive measures include a combination of technological, legal, and educational means. Legal means have mostly been confined to less democratic governments, but the problem of excessive Internet and SM use has affected countries of all political persuasions. Is excessive time spent online and on SM truly an addictive behavior, and should democratic governments step in to regulate and legislate the addictive nature of the medium?