How do social media platforms trap users in networks they would rather leave?

The interesting shift here is framing this less as an addiction problem and more as a coordination problem.

It’s not just that people can’t leave, it’s that leaving only works if enough of your network leaves with you. Otherwise you’re the one who loses access to relationships, context, and communication channels.

Feels similar to other network effect systems where the “cost of exit” ends up being higher than the cost of staying, even if the experience itself is worse.

The paper:

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S004727272...