Anti-social: It's fads, not friends, which now dominate social media feeds (bbc.com)

Article summary

Social media platforms have shifted from being used for communication between friends to becoming entertainment hubs with professionally made content. Many users, especially younger ones, now use platforms like TikTok and Instagram to scroll through videos and posts from people they don't know, rather than interacting with friends. This change is driven by algorithms that prioritize content that keeps users engaged for longer periods, increasing ad revenue. As a result, some users are experiencing a decline in meaningful social interactions on these platforms.

Main themes

• Social media evolution
• Algorithm-driven content
• Decline of personal interactions
• Advertising and revenue
• Changing user behavior

What commenters say

• Social media was never truly social, but rather an illusion of having a social life through shallow interactions with many people.
• The early days of social media, such as Facebook in the mid-2000s, were more social and mirrored real-life relationships, but this has since changed.
• Some people find value in social media for keeping in touch with distant friends and acquaintances, and for discovering new content and events.
• The shift towards algorithm-driven content has led to a decline in meaningful social interactions and a rise in passive consumption of entertainment.
• Social media platforms are now more akin to television, with users being coerced into watching content that is designed to keep them engaged, rather than facilitating genuine social connections.
• The benefits of social media, such as staying in touch with friends and family, do not outweigh the harm caused by the platforms' addictive nature and manipulation of users.
• The concept of social media as a tool for social interaction is outdated, and it has become primarily a means of entertainment and advertising.
• Some users argue that social media can still be a useful tool for organizing events and meeting new people, but this is not a universal experience.