Social Media S Transformation User Freedom To Algorithm Power

Posted November 28, 2024 | Reviewed by Jessica Schrader Co-authored by Nigel Bairstow, Ph.D., and Jeremy Neofytos, Research Assistant Over the last seven years, the customer experience on social media has shifted dramatically, moving away from the early ideals of user-led connection toward platforms that increasingly control users' digital lives. Originally, social media was designed to allow people to stay connected with friends, share their experiences, and engage in discussions they cared about. However, recent changes—the rise of algorithm-driven feeds and the integration of short-form video content—have transformed the platforms. This results in users being stripped gradually of their agency, turning these platforms into data-driven tools where algorithms decide what users see and when.

One major move in social media has been the algorithmic feed, which has replaced the simple chronological timeline many platforms once used. Initially, users could control their feeds by choosing whom to follow, with posts from these connections appearing in real-time order. This empowered users, allowing them to shape their social media experience based on personal preferences and relationships. Now, we find that most platforms have moved to popularity-based algorithms that prioritise content based on its likelihood of generating engagement. Through complex metrics analysing user demographics, behaviours, and trends, these algorithms organise content around how to maximize time spent on the platform. The result?

Users we find often view content from popular creators or trending topics instead of updates from friends and selected accounts. This change has resulted in the “follow” button almost worthless, as users no longer control what they view—content is now dictated by the platform's engagement goals rather than by individual choice. How have social media algorithms changed the way we interact? Social media algorithms, in their commonly known form, are now 15 years old. They were born with Facebook’s introduction of ranked, personalised news feeds, external in 2009 and have transformed how we interact online. And like many teenagers, they pose a challenge to grown-ups who hope to curb their excesses.

It’s not for want of trying. This year alone, governments around the world have attempted to limit the impacts of harmful content and disinformation on social media – effects that are amplified by algorithms. A web-based method was shown to mitigate political polarization on X by nudging antidemocratic and extremely negative partisan posts lower in a user’s feed. The tool, which is independent of the platform, has the potential to give users more say over what they see on social media.iStock A new tool shows it is possible to turn down the partisan rancor in an X feed — without removing political posts and without the direct cooperation of the platform. The study, from researchers at the University of Washington, Stanford University and Northeastern University, also indicates that it may one day be possible to let users take control of their social media algorithms.

The researchers created a seamless, web-based tool that reorders content to move posts lower in a user’s feed when they contain antidemocratic attitudes and partisan animosity, such as advocating for violence or jailing supporters... Researchers published their findings Nov. 27 in Science. (From left) Sens. John Curtis, R-Utah, and Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., discuss their joint effort to hold big tech accountable for harms caused by social media algorithms with NPR's Steve Inskeep on Nov. 18.

Zayrha Rodriguez/NPR hide caption Social media companies and their respective algorithms have repeatedly been accused of fueling political polarization by promoting divisive content on their platforms. Now, two U.S. Senators have introduced legislation aimed at holding tech companies accountable for those business practices. Sens. John Curtis, R-Utah, and Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., joined Morning Edition host Steve Inskeep to talk about the impact of social media algorithms on U.S.

politics and beyond and their plan to address it. Listen to the interview by clicking play on the blue box above. AI handles speed and certainty. The "soft" skills you compressed are now your only differentiator. Human skills (e.g., trust, empathy, presence) are the moat AI can't build. You can't access creativity from cortisol or lead others while your nervous system is dysregulated.

The future belongs to leaders willing to feel... CALIFORNIA – President Donald Trump announced on his Truth Social app, November 9, that most Americans will receive a “tariff dividend” of at least $2,000 per person, funded from federal import-tariff revenues. A bombshell came crashing into the White House health narrative Monday when longtime cardiologist Jonathan Reiner publicly rejected the official spin on President Trump’s recent MRI, calling the explanation “laughable” and suggesting the whole... Many of us dismiss a rash as “just allergies,” “just dry skin,” or “probably nothing.”. But doctors warn there is one rash that can turn deadly in hours, not days — and Americans rarely recognize it until it’s too late. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) reports that the number of missing children in Missouri for the year has decreased by five names; however, five more names have been added to...

Flying through futuristic digital geology terrain, digital data telemetry and engineer topography with contour lines. 3D wireframe cartography concept. Social media platforms have become an integral part of our daily lives. Whether it’s scrolling through Instagram, watching TikTok videos, or catching up with friends on Facebook, the digital landscape has dramatically shifted our interactions, entertainment, and even how we consume news and information. At the heart of this digital revolution is one invisible force that drives almost everything we see online: social media algorithms. Algorithms dictate much of what appears in our feeds, shaping our online experiences in ways we don’t always realize.

They decide which posts are worth showing to us, what content we find engaging, and even how long we stay on a platform. But how exactly do social media algorithms work? How do they determine what we see and why? And, perhaps most importantly, how do these algorithms impact our lives, behaviors, and beliefs? To understand social media algorithms, we must first break down what an algorithm is. Simply put, an algorithm is a set of instructions or rules designed to solve a problem or perform a task.

In the case of social media, algorithms are used to organize and prioritize the vast amount of content generated by millions (sometimes billions) of users every day. Imagine opening Instagram or Facebook. Within seconds, you’re presented with a customized feed of photos, videos, and stories from people you follow, along with sponsored content. The algorithm curates this experience based on various factors, such as your past interactions, your interests, your location, and the behavior of others who interact with similar content. It’s a highly complex, data-driven process aimed at keeping you engaged for as long as possible, but it’s not always transparent or easy to understand. Algorithms designed by platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok shape users’ digital lives by controlling the content they see.

But these algorithms don’t only curate our feeds—they subtly restrict personal autonomy, shape beliefs, and manipulate emotions. As users, we must ask: Here are 7 ways algorithm based social media controls us, and disables our freedom to choose. By understanding the hidden impacts of algorithms, we can better navigate these platforms and reclaim our autonomy. Social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter are built on algorithms that show us content aligned with our past interactions. This creates filter bubbles—environments where we’re exposed only to ideas that mirror our existing beliefs.

While this enhances engagement, it narrows our worldviews. These echo chambers aren’t just limiting intellectual growth—they can lead to deepening polarization. As people interact primarily with like-minded users, political and social divides grow, reducing opportunities for constructive dialogue. Social media algorithms prioritize emotionally charged content to maximize engagement. Content that generates strong emotional reactions—whether anger, fear, or excitement—gets pushed to the top of users’ feeds. This boosts advertiser revenue and encourages sensationalism at the expense of quality information.

Professor of Digital Communication, Queensland University of Technology Daniel Angus receives funding from Australian Research Council through Discovery Projects DP200100519 ‘Using machine vision to explore Instagram’s everyday promotional cultures’, DP200101317 ‘Evaluating the Challenge of ‘Fake News’ and Other Malinformation’, and Linkage Project... He is an Associate Investigator with the ARC Centre of Excellence for Automated Decision Making & Society, CE200100005. Queensland University of Technology provides funding as a member of The Conversation AU. Over the past 20 years, social media has transformed how we communicate, share information and form social connections. A federal parliamentary committee is currently trying to come to grips with these changes, and work out what to do about them.

The social media platforms where we spend so much time are powered by algorithms that exercise significant control over what content each user sees. But researchers know little specific detail about how they work, and how users experience them.

People Also Search

• Social Media's Transformation: User Freedom to Algorithm Power
• Facebook, X and TikTok: How social media algorithms shape speech - BBC
• Social media research tool can reduce polarization — it could also lead ...
• Senators push to hold big tech accountable for algorithm impacts : NPR
• How social media algorithms influence the way users decide ...
• Platform-independent experiments on social media | Science
• Social Media Algorithms: How They Control What We See
• HMN 2024: 7 Ways Algorithm-Driven Social Media Hurts Freedom and ...
• Social media algorithms are shrouded in secrecy. We're trying to change ...