[shlant]

it's a complicated issue and you're right that the the unending source of dopamine hits from entertainment would certainly play a role - although that's not really unique to social media. I personally think that a bigger factor may be the instant gratification and validation that comes from followers/likes/comments/whatever. I think young kids especially (but certainly not exclusively) crave validation from their peers and social media is a perfect place to turn to for that.