Chapter 1: The Transformation of Reality through Social Media

Social media has become an integral part of our daily lives. Whether you embrace it, dislike it, or choose to overlook it, one undeniable fact is that social media has fundamentally altered many aspects of how we operate. Most notably, it has completely dismantled the concept of a singular objective reality.

It all begins with the recommendation algorithms employed by various platforms. As most are aware, privacy on the internet is a myth. Every action—be it a click, a search, or a scroll—is carefully tracked and recorded. This data serves to curate content that aligns with your previous interactions, aiming to increase your engagement because that is the metric by which success is gauged, justifying the massive investments in digital advertising these companies receive annually.

At first glance, this might seem harmless. After all, what could be wrong with offering users more of what they enjoy? While recommendation algorithms can enhance our social media experiences by making them more aligned with our interests, this perspective overlooks significant implications.

Media shapes our understanding of the world, whether through fiction, non-fiction, or advertisements. Everything we consume contributes to the intricate mosaic of our worldview, and social media is no exception. Consequently, our perceptions are molded by these algorithms, which prioritize user engagement for profit.

Even at this stage, the situation is similar to other forms of media consumption. Most media we encounter daily is influenced by profit motives. However, the unique aspect of social media is that each user’s experience is distinct.

Consider a film compared to your Instagram feed (or any major social platform). Regardless of the viewer’s identity or past movie experiences, the film’s content remains constant for all. The characters, narrative, and visuals are uniform. In contrast, your Instagram feed is customized based on your interests, interactions, and the collective behaviors of others with similar digital footprints. This personalized experience diminishes objectivity online and fosters worldviews that lack a foundation in reality. In today’s context, holding a worldview detached from objective truth can be perilous.

The risk arises from individuals being able to entirely shield themselves from perspectives they disagree with or simply prefer to avoid. This instinct is understandable; many seek to dodge unpleasant content, such as hate speech or graphic violence. However, recommendation algorithms often fail to differentiate between harmful speech and factual information about the world. If a user opts out of seeing certain content, the algorithm will comply.

A stark example of this phenomenon's real-world implications is observed in public attitudes towards Covid-19. Depending on their social media algorithms, individuals may perceive Covid as anything from a severe health threat to a minor inconvenience or even a hoax. This discrepancy is alarming as it not only hinders consensus on addressing issues but also creates divisions regarding the existence of problems.

This predicament is particularly troubling in light of the pressing climate crisis. If we cannot agree on our current reality, addressing challenges or planning for the future becomes virtually impossible.

Numerous other issues stem from our social media influence, but the inability to reach a consensus on objective truth strikes at the very core of our global society. A change is necessary—either we must eliminate recommendation algorithms entirely and devise a different organizational structure for social media, or we need to implement greater transparency regarding their functionality. Without such changes, we risk catastrophic outcomes, often without any forewarning.

This video delves into how algorithms affect our daily lives and perceptions.

In this podcast, neuroscientist Dr. Andrew Huberman discusses the implications of our digital habits on the brain.