Amnesty International Official Calls for Mandatory Redesign of Social Media Algorithms

Hannah Storey, Head of Children and Young People's Digital Rights at Amnesty International, has called for regulatory action to compel social media companies to redesign algorithms and platform features that she says fuel addictive and harmful behavior, according to an interview published by France 24.

Speaking with France 24's Charles Pellegrin, Storey acknowledged that digital spaces can offer young people benefits including community, self-expression, education and opportunities for activism. However, she said the more significant problem lies in the underlying architecture of the platforms themselves.

According to Storey, features such as algorithms, infinite scrolling and other engagement mechanisms can repeatedly amplify harmful material, provoke negative emotions and encourage troubling behaviors among users. She attributed this design to a business model centered on capturing attention, exploiting emotions, fostering addiction, collecting data and generating advertising revenue.

Storey suggested that voluntary changes by platforms are insufficient and that external pressure—implied to come through regulation—is necessary to compel companies to alter these design features, according to the France 24 report.

The interview did not specify which particular regulatory measures Storey or Amnesty International are advocating, nor did it name specific platforms or provide details on the scope of proposed reforms.