Co-authored by Nigel Bairstow, Ph.D., and Jeremy Neofytos, research assistant

Over the past seven years, customer experience on social networks has changed dramatically, moving away from early ideals of user-directed connection toward platforms that increasingly control users’ digital lives. Social media was originally designed to allow people to stay in touch with their friends, share their experiences, and participate in discussions that interested them.

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 gradually stripped of their agency, transforming these platforms into data-driven tools, where algorithms decide what users see and when.

One of the major developments in social media has been the algorithmic feed, which has replaced the simple chronological timeline once used by many platforms. Initially, users could control their feeds by choosing who to follow, with posts from those connections appearing in real time. This has empowered users, allowing them to shape their social media experience based on their personal preferences and relationships. Today, we see that most platforms have moved to popularity-based algorithms that prioritize content based on its likelihood of generating engagement. Using complex metrics analyzing user demographics, behaviors, and trends, these algorithms organize content around how to maximize time spent on the platform. The result? The users we find are often viewing content from popular creators or trending topics instead of updates from selected friends and accounts. This change made the “follow” button almost useless, as users no longer control what they see: content is now dictated by platform engagement. goals rather than by individual choice.

The proliferation of short-form video content has led to a decrease in user control. While many platforms compete to replicate TikTok’s success with short, looping videos, many have developed similar features, often with tabs or feeds dedicated exclusively to this type of content. Short-form video content appeals to our human need for instant gratification by presenting us with endless streams of bite-sized entertainment. However, they come with a trade-off: short content is closely associated with decline attention litters, an effect becoming evident across all age groups.

A 2024 Fortune (Greenfield, 2024) shows that almost half of Generation Z would like short-form video content not to become a mainstay of social media, and many express concerns about its impact on their concentration and productivity. However, users find it very difficult to turn off these features or limit their exposure time to short content, suggesting that platform design often prioritizes engagement metrics over content. autonomy, control and what they really want to see. This lack of control is a big concern for younger users, whose developing brains are more vulnerable to the effects of frequent and rapid exposure to content.

The shift of social media platforms from user-driven to algorithmically curated spaces has transformed the customer experience from one of empowerment and connection to something more akin to a cycle of dependence . By continually presenting users with a carefully curated feed of trending or popular content, social media mimics the characteristics of an addictive substance, drawing users back into a loop of passive consumption. Where platforms once encouraged people to “capture the moment” and connect with each other, many now prioritize perpetual engagement over perpetual engagement. authenticity and user choice. This transformation has led to a subtle but powerful alienation of the individual user from the original purpose of the platform.

Social media’s rapid evolution and shift toward a more controlled, algorithm-driven environment raises a larger issue: user agency is eroding in favor of revenue-based metrics. We live in a world where data is king, with platforms increasingly treating users like data points, curating their content based on statistical probabilities rather than personal preferences. Instead of platforms that allow individuals to freely create and consume content, social media is becoming a passive experience, in which users have little say in what or when they encounter. meet him.

Many experts and users are calling for greater transparency and government regulations on the operation of algorithms and features that will promote greater efficiency. aware engagement for users. Options that seem viable allow for chronological feeds, reduce the emphasis on short-form content, or make these features optional, which could help users reclaim their experience. As social media continues to play an increasingly important role in our daily lives, these changes will represent a return to the core purpose of social media: authentic connection and self-expression in a digital world that respects privacy. individual action.