Social Dilemma & Permanent Record

Have you ever wondered how Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, or Snapchat curate your feed? You keep scrolling and scrolling through your mobile screen until you realize you’ve procrastinated on whatever obligations you intended to complete. No big deal! I’ll just postpone it until tomorrow

or the day after tomorrow,

or the day after that.

“There are only two industries that call their customers 'users': illegal drugs and software.”

“If you’re not paying for the product, then you’re the product.”

– The Social Dilemma 

What was originally intended to connect the world has become something with embryonic harm that would grow over time to degrade one’s mental and physical health. The Internet has allowed wonderful occurrings: people have found their soulmates, organ donors, and maintained long-distance friendships. On the flip side, the Internet and social media platforms have also been able to manipulate users into addiction; a different kind of addiction, one that serves as a source of their revenue. Artificial Intelligence has been specifically engineered to keep users scrolling through their mobile screens, which not only keeps everybody glued to their devices, but also creates information bubbles. Ever wonder how or why the belief of “COVID-19 is a hoax” gained momentum? It is because certain social media users are targeted and only exposed to those misinformation. Imagine living in a world where we have to question everything. 

The Social Dilemma, a 2020 Netflix documentary film, accentuated the seriousness of social media algorithms’ impacts and division they create within our society. I highly recommend you to watch it if you have free time! In the meantime, a gentle reminder to keep up with your mental health: have you been comparing your real life to other people’s highlight reels? Have you been taking adequate breaks from time to time? Have you spent time outside (6 feet apart from people) in fresh air?

Invest in your mental health and we will see you next week <3