○There’s a brief clip on TikTok where HRH Princess of Wales discloses her cancer diagnosis, while an AI voiceover suggests it’s a “faulty ring.” The video has amassed 1.3 million views. Other videos analyzing and distorting aspects of this clip have also gained millions of views and shares. These videos have surfaced on X (formerly known as Twitter) and have been shared via WhatsApp by friends and family, presented as factual reports without any indication of being internet rumors.
Something has shifted in the way social media content is curated. It’s a significant yet subtle transformation. Platforms that were once distinct in content types now overlap. Instagram Reels now features TikTok videos, and TikTok videos from Instagram Reels also appear on X. The algorithms seem to create a closed loop, steering us away from deliberate choices in who we follow. Every social media app now has a “For you” page displaying content from non-followed users, making it challenging to control our feed.
With increasing loss of control over our feed, social media platforms have turned into competitive attention markets. Content creators often subtly promote products through their recommendations, earning commissions on user purchases. The content that garners high engagement, like conspiracy theories, becomes lucrative. Online conspiracy theories vary in nature and source, from sensational to sober, infiltrating our feeds.
Social media has evolved from a personal platform to a lucrative profession for content creators. Videos and tweets going viral can significantly increase a user’s earning potential, follower count, and attract brand partnerships. However, this monetization model costs users their agency and shifts the focus towards generating revenue for the platform.
Traditional media tends to downplay social media manipulation and avoids hard questions. Tabloids and right-wing media have long spun news stories for clicks and shares, especially concerning celebrities and royals. The dynamic between the palace, media, and public opinion has shifted, as social media now challenges the traditional mediation of who to love and hate among royals.
Social media has become a complex arena where commercial players imitate and challenge legacy media, driving misinformation and chaos. The shifting landscape of social media engagement poses new challenges for understanding and accountability, going beyond simplistic explanations of user morality.
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Source: www.theguardian.com
