Silent Scrolling…telling the algorithm to kiss off.

I was watching my son scroll his social media the other day and he was liking almost everything he saw.  Sharing.  Saving. Sometimes commenting.  And I realized how very different our consumption of social media is.  Other than the obvious generation gap and his propensity to follow body builders, truck stuff and teens in general doing a lot of weird stuff…and my propensity that leans towards animals doing weird stuff, home decor, the latest in tech and health…how we consume it is very different.  Our platforms are slightly different.  He’s in the tik tok and snap chat world and I am largely an insta consumer.  FB for family and friend stuff.  With a bit of Tik Tok when I want to see animals doing dumb crap.  But what is important is how I interact with these apps.  I am a silent scroller.  I rarely ever like anything.  Maybe the occasional friend or family sweet picture or post.  It is even more uncommon for me to provide comment on things.  I will share, but only if I find it hysterical or educational. And I LOVE to research.  Take deep dives looking for answers to all of my pressing questions. This goes against all of the algorithm rules.  Searching does talk to the algorithm some.  But not engaging with platforms goes against what the algorithm tries to force you to do.  And if you want to grow your business account online, and you don’t do these things, over and over and over all day to exhaustion….forget about it.  3 people will see your stuff.  It is stupid.  My son however does what it asks for.  He maintains a constant scrolling, liking, commenting machine.  So the algorithm loves him and feeds him more and more of what he is engaging with.  And on the hamster wheel he rolls.

Why is this a problem?  Why do we not want an algorithm feeding us only the same stuff?  It provides an insanely narrow view of the world.  It is restrictive, repetitive… at best monotonous…and at worst narrow-minded.  We should desire diversity and new perspectives.  A singular algorithmic diet limits our understanding and growth.  It confines us to a small bubble that prevents us from exploring the complexities of the world.  The narrow lens distorts reality, and hinders our ability to be able to embrace differences and variety.  In all things.  I love exploring different view points.  Our differences are what make us unique. And interesting.  Being fed the same dribbling stream of information is a big contributor to divisiveness. People begin to believe that one view is the only view.  It is an empathy stealer.  How can we empathize with others if we hold fast to only one point of view? This scares me for adults, but terrifies me for our youth.  Like me, many (not all) adults of my generation (Gen X’ers) seem to be more of the silent scrolling type.  Maybe because we “just don’t get it” or maybe because we are of the generation that raised themselves and never did anything we were told to do anyway.  Gen Z and Gen A are different.  The engagement is on going and never ending.  It  seems to feel ok to these generations.  Or even if it doesn’t they would never admit it and lack the desire or skills to back out of their bubble to explore new worlds against the algorithm grain.

Social media was created for a way to be social.  To interact with one another.  I remember when FB first came about and we could all chat with each other.  Or not.  But we could still see that persons feed.  We were not forced into a relationship with people and ideas in order to see the information.  And while I get that there are positives associated with having some algorithm influence, I can not help but think it has manipulated each one of us into tiny bubbles.  In true Gen X fashion, I do not respond well to being to being manipulated. I will continue my silent scroll.  My quiet desire for all view points.  And in my small way tell the algorithm to kiss off as I reach outside my bubble.