Anti-social: It's fads, not friends, which now dominate social media feeds
Article URL: https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20260520-how-social-media-ceased-to-be-social Comments URL: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48444228 Points: 210 # Comments: 167
The shift from 'friends' to 'fads' on social media reflects a maturation and commercialization of platforms, driven by algorithmic curation and content monetization over personal connection.
This trend highlights the ongoing evolution of digital social interaction, impacting advertising, content creation, and user engagement strategies for businesses and governments.
Social media platforms increasingly prioritize viral content and trends over genuine interpersonal connection, transforming their fundamental purpose and user experience.
- · Content creators (influencers)
- · Short-form video platforms
- · Algorithmic advertising reliant companies
- · Traditional social networking models
- · Users seeking genuine interpersonal connection
- · Brands relying on authentic community building
Social media increasingly functions as an entertainment and trend-spotting platform rather than a social utility.
This shift could further exacerbate feelings of loneliness or superficiality among users, driving demand for alternative forms of connection.
As platform value shifts from 'social' to 'entertainment,' new regulatory pressures may arise concerning content influence and algorithmic manipulation.
This signal links to a primary source. Continuum Brief monitors and indexes it as part of the live intelligence stream — we do not republish source content.
Read at Hacker News — Front Page