Tyranny of the algorithms
March 15Social media algorithms create the perfect filter bubble for their user
by G Sai Prashanth
If you find yourself idly scrolling through Instagram or Youtube whenever you have a few seconds to spare, you’re not alone. The algorithm on our phones constantly directs us what to think about, where to go, whom to date, and what we can entertain ourselves with. With each click, app, and terms of service agreement, we buy into the premise that data algorithms and various forms of machine learning can model and improvise our life choices. Algorithms select and curate music, choose and recommend movies, write and fact-check news stories, and make hiring and firing choices. Bit by bit, every website we visit, every social media network we use, and every cookie our browser accepts creates a profile of us. This is the tyranny of the algorithm and the price we pay for living a constantly engaged life.
Mirage of informed choices
The wave of personal recommendations gained traction during the pandemic, when choosing what to watch was the largest issue aside from avoiding COVID-19. This trend has resulted in instant gratification being the norm, influencing everyone’s daily life. Content that is short and catchy is easy to create. The focus is now on the content’s potential to go viral rather than the content itself. This caters to the short attention span of the viewers. Social media algorithms worsen this by prioritizing viral content frequently sinking out more factual, genuine stories. Rapid changes are occurring in the nature of information diffusion, and India is not exempt from these broad shifts. Media checks and balances, which have already been severely undermined, continue to deteriorate to a point that they are no longer relevant.
Trapped in a curated illusion
In order to improve customer interactions and impact user behavior, algorithms utilize behavioral design tactics to optimize user attention. By anticipating consumer preferences, they create an echo chamber. Recommendations have become more and more integrated into the media landscape Platforms aim to advise us on where to eat, what to buy, and how to live our lives.
Can we draw a line?
Dopamine is the neurotransmitter that is frequently linked to the use of social media. It is the brain’s chemical messenger responsible for processing rewards and pushing us to pursue them. Dopamine pushes us to want more of something that makes us happy, whether it’s food or Instagram likes. Our reward system isn’t just active when we get likes. It also comes into play when we like others’ posts or simply swipe a profile on a dating app. The everlasting loop of seeking and receiving affirmation can lead to a reliance on social media for emotional satisfaction and fulfillment. This raises a question. Who bears the inevitable responsibility for the mental health of the users? The platforms themselves are eager to keep users on their mobile devices for as long as possible, and they are experimenting with and competing with other platforms to keep users’ attention for even a minute longer.
