Users (noun): consumers of social media.
On social media, users interact with an array of subjects through views, likes and comments. This begs the question: are we actually using social media or is it using us?
Algorithms are largely to blame for this quandary. They provide carefully curated content to users of their apps while maintaining a similar set of features across platforms. These features include utilizing user feedback to actively implement change whilst the apps in question are in use. Still, the actual output differs from app to app. For example, TikTok has a wildly adept algorithm that adapts to even the slightest change. The algorithm adjusts at lightning speed, matching the incredibly fast-moving pace of modern attention spans. Other platforms, such as YouTube, Instagram and Pinterest, adjust at a more subtle level—they require more feedback than TikTok to alter their feeds. TikTok adjusts at a faster pace and this contributes to the high user retention rate. From an outside perspective, the difference in the algorithm’s speed may be used to compensate for the limited amount of content that can be shown at once. TikTok is the only platform out of all these that only shows one piece of content at a time. For this reason, TikTok ensures that the upcoming content is relevant enough to keep the consumer engaged.
YouTube, Instagram and Pinterest all maximize efficiency by showing off as much content as possible at a single time; therefore, where someone might not be interested in a single piece of content, they might be interested in one of the many other options they’re exposed to. In other words, TikTok may have to have an intensely adaptive algorithm to retain their users on the app for a longer time. Additionally, although YouTube, Instagram and Pinterest present various different options at once for their users to select, it still presents an illusion of choice. Every single piece of content in the algorithm is curated specifically for the user’s preference. Regardless of the number of times a user refreshes their feed, the same content reappears in different fonts and formats.
Every single action taken is analyzed to the nth degree—how long someone stayed on an individual post, whether the person liked it or not and how often they interact with more of the same content. Simply put, algorithms adjust to a user’s focus while also implementing new content. This is regardless of how much content they can expose to their users at once. This poses nothing new. After all, maximized efficiency, adaptive algorithms and high user retention rates is just technical social media vernacular. The unanswered question remains: what about social media indicates that users lack the true ability to choose?
Consumers get sucked into an endless rabbit hole of content that they cannot seem to escape, reaching into an infinite pool of information that they’ll forget just as soon as they swipe or scroll. Social media often becomes a closed-end loop, recycling the same information until a user changes their pattern of consumption. After all, to algorithms, they’re just numbers on a screen.
Users are not actively aware of the content they’re consuming. They often resort to the explore or home page, clicking on and scrolling through whatever each platform indicates as interesting to them. No matter what social media users ‘choose’ to watch or interact with, everything on their feed is just a result of what the algorithm decides for them. As users, they’re not actively dictating what they’re viewing, and even more so, not actively remembering most of what they consume.
This isn’t an end all be all statement, of course. There are options to search for individual accounts, posts, and hashtags that allow each user to individualize their experience to an even higher degree. The give-and-take of personalized content is interesting—while algorithms may limit users to certain content bubbles, they can also cater to individual interests and preferences. However, it’s becoming increasingly imperative to be aware of what and how much content is being consumed when mindlessly scrolling on explore pages where there isn’t much room to deviate.
In the vast realm of social media, where users believe they have control over their choices, there exists an insidious illusion of choice. Behind the scenes, algorithms silently curate their feeds, manipulating users’ preferences and narrowing their options. The algorithmic ‘gods’ of social media constantly analyze their behavior, scrutinizing their every click, like, and scroll. It’s an intricate game of psychological manipulation, where consumers of their content unknowingly dance to their tune. While social media users may think they’re exploring a diverse landscape of content, it’s merely a mirage—a carefully constructed façade that conceals the algorithm’s puppetry. In reality, our choices are made for us, a mere reflection of what the algorithm deems suitable. It can become all too easy to get stuck in content loops that cater to our individual preferences; however, all the content users get exposed to is typically via the algorithm’s work.
As technology continues to evolve, so will the algorithms that govern social media platforms. Artificial intelligence and machine learning will likely play an even more significant role in understanding user preferences and delivering personalized content. However, striking a balance between personalization and the risk of creating echo-chambers remains a challenge. The future of algorithmic influence will depend on ongoing discussions surrounding ethics, transparency and user agency, ensuring that algorithms serve users’ best interests without compromising their autonomy.
Doubtlessly, algorithms have reshaped the way users consume social media. While they offer personalized experiences and maximize efficiency, users must be mindful of the potential limitations and biases inherent in algorithmic curation. By maintaining awareness of the content they consume, users can navigate the social media landscape with greater agency and enjoy a more balanced and enriching digital experience.
