Artificial Intelligence: Our Social Media Influencer Or Controller?

By Taylor Montgomery

Tell me…have you ever wondered how your social media feed predicts exactly what you want to see? Have you ever wondered how TikTok’s ‘For You’ page picks up on your latest TV show obsession…every – single – time? Well, look no further because I am here to tell you that no, it is not magic – instead, it is actually Artificial Intelligence (AI) at work!

Around the world, individuals aged 16 to 24 years old report the highest average phone screen time, spending approximately 7-8 hours each day on their devices [1]. Young adults, particularly university students, are deeply immersed in social media – an environment that significantly influences their social interactions, study habits and general routines. In 2024, the average person devotes a considerable amount of their day to social media platforms alone, spending an estimated 2-3 hours exclusively on apps like YouTube, Instagram and Snapchat [2], highlighting how these platforms are woven into our everyday lives.

It is safe to say that AI is our new behind-the-scenes genius and it’s number one job is to completely transform how we experience our social media networks, which are clearly considered to be ‘a key component of virtual life’ [3]. While you are browsing online, AI is right there with you, watching what you like, share and post – remembering all of it, so that it knows what to show you on your next social media scroll. While this might sound a bit strange at first, it is simply part of AI’s process to ensure that your feed is tailored for you and only you. AI is just like your new fairy godmother, making all your social media dreams come true. There is no denying it…AI truly works hard, always making sure to keep you entertained with each and every scroll, even when AI is busy sorting out its other internet tasks.

Alongside keeping you happy, AI is also working hard to ensure that social media is a safer place to be. With modern society advancing, we are spending more and more time on our electronic devices than in the real world. Due to this, it is essential that the media we are consuming on a day-to-day basis is positive and accurate, and this is where AI comes in. As highlighted from the movements of famous Silicon Valley tech companies, attempts are being made to utilise our friend AI in order to detect and remove harmful content such as hate speech, cyberbullying and pesky fake news. Most of the time, this toxic content is cleaned up right before you even switch on your screen! AI makes sure to protect you…or does it?

AI is personalising our digital world – and appears to be doing a fantastic job of it, but of course, with the pros comes along some cons [4], one of these being the debates surrounding your data privacy on the internet. As the saying goes “nothing comes free in life” and so I suppose when we are scrolling online, no cost attached, the real product must be…us! It is important to be aware of the information we share online (even without realising it), as social media platforms track more than just names and phone numbers – they also monitor what you watch, who you interact with, and the messages you send [5]. This data is then ‘mined and measured, sorted and sold’ [6] to advertisers who use AI to design platforms to keep you engaged, fuelling an addictive “social media cycle” where your personal information is constantly being extracted and monetized, while you continue to surf the internet.

This issue is particularly relevant for university students, as excessive screen time can negatively impact their academic performance by decreasing concentration and productivity. To combat this, students should set time limits on social media use, prioritise their tasks and create a distraction-free workspace [7]. Ultimately, by developing a greater understanding of social media algorithms, students can strategically effectively leverage AI, using it to their advantage, in order to enhance their academic performance and promote their personal growth.

As you can see, it is essential to be aware of the benefits and drawbacks of social media platforms while navigating the digital world. The next time you are online, scrolling the world wide web – be mindful of your actions and always remember that AI is right there, scrolling along with you, monitoring your every move.

Whether you see AI as your new best friend or a sneaky sidekick, at the end of the day, the choice is completely up to you!

Sources:

[1] DataReportal. “Digital around the World.” DataReportal. 2024. https://datareportal.com/global-digital-overview.

[2] Shewale, Rohit. “Average Time Spent on Social Media (2024 Data).” DemandSage, 2024. https://www.demandsage.com/average-time-spent-on-social-media/.

[3] Jordan, Tim. “Social Media Networks.” In Information Politics: Liberation and Exploitation in the Digital Society, 120–40. Pluto Press, 2015. https://doi.org/10.2307/j.ctt183p2xf.11.

[4] Rosenberg, Joshua M., Macy Burchfield, Conrad Borchers, Benjamin Gibbons, Daniel Anderson, and Christian Fischer. “Social Media and Students’ Privacy: What Schools and Districts Should Know.” The Phi Delta Kappan 103, no. 2 (2021): 49–53. https://www.jstor.org/stable/27083904.

[5] Vigderman, Aliza, and Gabe Turner. “How Much Would You Sell Your Social Media Data For?” Security.org., 2022. https://www.security.org/blog/how-much-would-you-sell-your-social-media-data-for/.

[6] Claypoole, Theodore F. “Privacy and Social Media.” Business Law Today, 2014, 1–4. http://www.jstor.org/stable/businesslawtoday.

[7] Binns, Rob. “Screen Time Statistics 2024: Global Increases/Decreases, Mobile vs Desktop, and Screen Time’s Effect On Children.” Independent Advisor. https://www.independent.co.uk/advisor/vpn/screen-time-statistics.