The Invisible Hand

 Social Media platforms have become an inseparable part of our lives. They are essential tools that allow us to share our thoughts and experiences with our family, friends, co-workers and people all over the world. However, as social media has become way too sophisticated, so have the algorithms that run these platforms.

 Algorithms are sets of instructions that dictate how social media platform works. A huge part of their function involves keeping track of user data, make predictions of our future behavior and recommend content that is most likely to grab our attention. Thus, these incredibly powerful algorithms are invasive of our privacy.

 The most common way these algorithms invade our privacy is by collecting our data and analyzing them. This includes tracking our online activity, including the posts we like, the comments we make, the posts we share and even our private messages with individuals. This data is then used to build a detailed model of our preferences which they can use to bombard us with personalized ads and content.

 Although personalized content can be helpful in some cases, it can also be highly manipulative. These algorithms are designed in a way to provide us with content that reinforces our existing ideas, which leads to further polarization and division. Moreover, constant flow of personalized content can worsen our confirmation bias and make it difficult or even impossible to view other people's perspectives. This harms overall unity and adds fuel to flame, worsening already existing communal and racial discord. To add to this, people get addicted to social media sites as algorithms do a fine job in providing people with content that appeals to them the most. Hence, wherever we go people have their eyes stuck to their device screens.

 Additionally, these algorithms can significantly impact our mental health and wellbeing. Constant notifications often create a sense of urgency which leads to heightened stress and anxiety. Besides, the repeated targeted content can also fuel feelings of isolation and depression since it has become increasingly difficult to discern real from fake.

 Another significant issue of social media algorithms is its opaqueness. This means that users have little or no information on how these algorithms work or how user's data is being used and stored. An average user cannot possibly decode the complex programs of such algorithms. Hence commoners are almost helpless to these algorithms.

 Also, these algorithms are programmed by human individuals who can unintentionally perpetuate existing bias. As a result, this may cause exclusion to certain groups. For example, a certain study by ProPublica found that Facebook's existing advertising algorithm was enabling advertisers to exclude certain users on the basis of race and community.

 To deal with such issues, many experts have urged tech giants to be more open and transparent on the use of such algorithms. This may include companies to disclose how exactly the algorithm works and the various ways it uses user's data.

 To conclude, social media has entirely changed our lives in more ways than we can imagine but they also raise many concerns regarding privacy invasion, cyber security and potential bias. As users, its essential for us to be aware of how these algorithms operate and act accordingly to protect our personal data and mental health. 

How algorithms and data are used to influence you - Vox

Here’s exactly how social media algorithms can manipulate you - Big Think