Intention matters, and when people are scrolling endlessly, they are not consuming with intention. Instead, they are consuming with hope that something interesting will come into the awareness and provide another hit of dopamine, which is fading faster and faster, increasing the desire and the reducing timeframe required to get the next hit.
It is indeed a slot machine. They're only gambling with something that is far more precious than money - their time, their agency, their ability to develop and improve as a human.
It is also in the best interests of the platform to keep people pulling the lever - so it gives them some vague content that might not be relevant, but because they can serve another ad or three between, that's fine, they know the person will stay hooked until they get what they want.
So upsetting.
It is upsetting, but it seems that only a few are even bothering to think about it, let alone do anything about it. Kids should not be on any of this, nor should their parents.
Nor should the law makers, who use it to promote their policy, because it is one of the few places that people are "paying attention", I guess.