> the brain treats information as a reward in itself; it doesn't matter whether the info is accurate or useful, the brain will still crave it and feel satisfied after consuming it

This doesn't jive with me, what kind of information different people are attracted to is very different. I'd argue that the difference comes from the brain trying to classify what information is useful and then rewarding you for engaging with that useful information.

So for example, at least for me TikTok isn't useful and thus doesn't engage me at all, its just irritating to try to get into it. But for many other people their brains obviously identifies TikTok differently than mine, likely seeing it as useful so rewards them for it.

So the problem is information that most people misclassify as useful even when it isn't. It is like sweeteners, they don't give you calories but your taste buds still rewards you as if you did get a lot of calories. I'd say that isn't an obesity crisis though, people sit and eat those artificial sweetener information all day and thus starve out on real useful information since they don't get any of it.