4 Ways How Social Media Platforms Can Manipulate Your Mind


social media platforms

Even after decades of the internet boom, most users still do not know how social media platforms are working. Well, in simple words, social media apps work through a mechanism called algorithms.

Algorithms refer to the complex systems designed by social media platforms to decide which content is to be displayed to a user and in what order. They can process massive sets of data and help us pick the right information that we are looking for. But that doesn’t make algorithms perfect.

As per a research report, 64% of US citizens view social media has a negative impact on democracy. Many experts believe that social media companies intentionally designed algorithms with the manipulative power to control the thoughts of users. Let’s check out how an algorithm can manipulate our minds.

Bandwagon Effect

Humans, by birth, have a tendency to follow a majority without reason. This phenomenon is called the bandwagon effect. Even the stocks and elections are run by this sense of collective intelligence.

Sadly, social media platforms may leave us more vulnerable to this bandwagon effect. When users participate in a trend like a dance step or meme, more are likely to imitate it without thinking further. Such blind following could lead to harmful consequences.

For instance, a trend named Skullbreaker Challenge originated in Venezuela. It was simple yet weird and harmful. Two people would kick their feet out from under a third person as they jumped, causing them to fall backward. The trend spread like wildfire, attracting many youths to follow the same. At last, TikTok issued warnings against the trend due to its dangerous nature, as it could lead to serious injuries like head trauma, spinal damage, etc.

Addictive Nature

There are millions of algorithms out there for various social media platforms. But eventually, their goal remains the same: encourage users to spend more time on social media. For that, they collect your interaction data to determine which type of content excites you. Then, algorithms will distribute more of such content to your feed.

Even though this seems to be an action of personalization, several experts have complained that it makes users more addicted to the platform. Concerns have escalated to the point where legal challenges, like the Instagram lawsuit cases, have emerged over the past few years.

As per a research report, 34% of teenagers claim that social media platforms like Instagram have a negative effect on people. Many of the lawsuits highlight that such addictive practices cause severe mental health concerns, especially in the youth.

Perception About Quality

Popularity and quality are two different things. Popular content may not have quality and vice versa. Unfortunately, social media companies have intentionally designed the algorithms to push more popular content.

Instead of focusing on content quality, AI algorithms just pick random posts with the most engagement during the initial hours and promote them to more feeds. It does have many serious consequences.

Think about the popular Ice Bucket Challenge. Participants of this trend pour a bucket of ice water over a random person’s head for fun. Awareness for ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis) was the campaign’s primary objective, and it also sought donations.

But the algorithm was busy spreading out funny dumping videos to more feeds, leaving behind informative content that spreads awareness about the disease. Finally, the challenge successfully raised over $115 million for ALS research. However, the concept of ALS is still unknown to many despite such massive crowdfunding.

Fake News

Social media content is ranked by algorithms rather than humans. As a result, the element of authenticity check is missing.

Social media algorithms often focus on promoting content that raises maximum engagement. This often leads to the amplification of misleading information that may arouse strong emotional reactions like fear, danger, etc. As the exposure and engagement metrics increase, more users are likely to hit the share button. Eventually, more users may become a part of this fake news chain without even knowing it.

Narrow Viewpoints

Users are always likely to engage with content that matches their values. As they are more exposed to such content, they are more likely to get obsessed.

These tendencies leave us more vulnerable to the manipulations of algorithms. As they curate content based on user interests, it can trap users within ideological prisons.

When we keep seeing similar content, our viewpoints become narrower and more predictable. This creates a cycle where we only get exposed to more of the same, leading to modern ideological slavery. That makes users will be susceptible to sharing misinformation that aligns with their existing beliefs.

As per TorHoerman Law, social media platforms like Instagram are proven to affect the mental health of users, especially teenagers. They can cause many issues like anxiety and eating disorders.

One of the best ways to deal with these negative effects is to use critical thinking. Not everything you see is true. Engagement rates are just numbers, and they don’t guarantee authenticity. Implement double-checking and even ignoring strategies to stay out of the social media loop.


Purity Muriuki
I'm a passionate full-time blogger. I love writing about startups, technology, health, lifestyle, fitness, electronics, social media marketing, and much more. Continue reading my articles for more insight.

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