To social media, we aren’t people, just commodities

There was some dramatic testimony before Congress earlier this month regarding the inner workings of the social media giant Facebook. 

Frances Haugen, a company whistleblower with thou­sands of internal documents, revealed that Facebook’s algorithms intentionally try to promote content to irri­tate and anger users with the goal that they will end up staying on the platform longer to argue with other Facebook users, get invested into arguments or comment on content that they find displeasing

[CLICK HERE TO WATCH HER SENATE TESITMONY].

Facebook also owns Instagram. Internal studies seem to indicate Instagram’s algorithms intentionally direct users to content that the company’s internal studies show lower users’ self esteem — specifically, pushing teen girls toward content about eating disorders, body dysmorphia, obesity and weight loss.

Regarding Facebook’s algorithms, this is news, but hardly news, at least anecdotally for anyone who’s used the platform in the last decade.

The newsfeed portion of the platform shows users some content from friends and family, as well as events and posts from absolute strangers about political or cultural nonsense that directly contradicts one’s political stance or world view.

These types of posts get pushed to users’ newsfeeds, so while looking at photos of nieces or cousins, accepting a new friend request or event invitation, users find them­selves facing argumentative content from some stranger in another state that one of their friends happened to have commented on three days ago.

For some reason — i.e., the algorithms — this content is pushed to users’ main feed, and, suddenly appearing on the platform in front of the user, one feels obligated to post a reply. That leads to more comments, rebuttals and arguments in an endless spiral of time. And seemingly miraculously, users then see plenty of Facebook adver­tising, which is of course the real goal of social media platforms.

We must remember that the platform and the content are not the products. We are. Our eyeballs are being sold to the platform’s advertisers.

Critics of social media, marketing and Facebook specifically have been arguing this for years. I even have a few editorials reminding readers who use social media that Facebook and its advertisers really “win” while we are trying to “win” an argument.

The content — puppy photos, the meaning behind “Watermelon Sugar” lyrics, Met gala dresses, Ivermectin, London broil recipes or QAnon conspiracies — doesn’t matter as long as they keep users online, eyeballs glued to the screen, collecting data and selling us products and services.

All the political bluster online matters little unless there is a transition to the real world. “Winning” an argument is meaningless unless users take that win and show up at council meetings, ballot boxes or public events. Social media also doesn’t really care if you show up to things in the real world or not. Except … bring your phone and post more content for the platforms to profit from.

Perhaps the only really truly shocking thing from last week’s congressional testimony was that Facebook executives are fully aware of what these algorithms push on and do to users.

Executives are not tacitly aware of this divisive­ness and ignoring it, nor are they trying to mitigate the damage, but rather, Haugen stated, actively seeking to increase it to keep users on the platform longer, creating a negative user experience.

But that activity also explains why Facebook’s daily user counts are falling in the U.S., even as it expands around the world. More Americans have accounts year after year, but many allow their accounts to go dormant or abandon the platform because they just don’t like the interactions. Haugen’s testimony won’t help.

We already know other platforms use this model. Twitter is garbage and appears to only exist so users can post things to get themselves fired or shame villains of the week who are guilty of some social crime, legitimate or otherwise.

The stated goal of social media platforms is to connect people using their integrated platform. But in order to stay profitable, these massive companies do whatever they can to pull in users and generate revenue. If that means division, so be it.

When you use any social media platform, remember why it exists. They are not utilities, nor charities, nor public institutions. They are private capitalist enterprises and you are the currency. They can be symbiotic rather than parasitic depending on how we choose to interact on them. Be kinder. Spend less time fighting. Ignore or block hate from strangers. Log off sooner and more often.

Christopher Fox Graham

Managing Editor