The Internet is a complex, multifaceted, and sometimes frightening yet creative and also a dangerous and fraudulent place to be. On any given day, hackers and scammers attempt to drain bank accounts and alter people’s mindsets.
While we do our best to stay as non-partisan as possible. Our readers must take it upon themselves to critically think about what their algorithms are feeding them.
For many years, we as an organization refused to create any social media accounts. However, as our organization began to grow, we needed a way to reach our players. So we created social media accounts to facilitate our organization’s growth and outreach.
Upon creating these accounts, immediately, our algorithms began feeding us rage bait and political content. We hadn’t liked any posts or made our first post yet. But right away, the algorithm began suppressing our minds into hate-filled content, meant to stir up rage and anger.
Nobody likes being told no. We often hear from our friends and family that we should find a partner who shares our similar interests. But being in a room with a yes man doesn’t really do much for your personal development. Sometimes, hearing the opposite of what you think is needed to gain insight into different perspectives.
Just like Uncle Iroh was trying to teach Zuko.
Our concern about social media is that algorithms are designed to reinforce stereotypes and biases you already have about people, tribes, governments, or those whom you may implicitly carry hatred for. In other words, social media algorithms are a yes man. If you have ever been around a yes man or a hype man, their jobs are just to make you feel like everything you say is credible. A yes man or a hype man reinforces your beliefs just like an algorithm feeds you stereotypes and biases you may already have about those whom you deem “different” as yourself.
But our differences are the bread and butter that keep the fabric of our societies, civilizations, and universe together. Similarly, the rainbow is composed of not just one color, but an array of colors, and when mixed together, it creates an infinite array of other colors and arrangements.
Broadcast news is often perceived as stale, bland, and colorless. Much of the news is meant to instill anger and fear into your subconscious mind, causing you to act on these impulsive fears through violence and chaos.
Social media must be used with the same cautious approach as the news.
Hatred sells, racism sells, and when these two are combined, it generates content and revenue for these platforms, i.e., news or social media companies.
It was the radio that allowed the genocide in Rwanda to persist into a total and absolute massacre of the Rwandan people. In the same way, social media is used as a weapon for hate propaganda, inciting violence, and racial and ethnic tension between two opposing belief systems.
But never will you see an Eagle disrupting a Crow. Never will you see a Beaver disrupting a Squirrel. Never will you see a Shark destroying an entire ecosystem of plant life.
As human beings, we must take extreme caution in our usage of social media.
Some social media companies have no problem taking down countries, people, organizations, leaders, and grassroots organizations. By feeding users lies, hatred, and stirring up emotional rage bait.
As human beings, we must carefully consider what we allow ourselves to believe on social media.
This is why this social media disclosure is being written.
We take the value of a life very seriously. As our lives are worth more than a sparrow’s.
Have you ever seen the movie Spirited (2022)? Ryan Reynolds plays a character who caused a young boy to commit suicide because Reynolds’ character exposed his niece to the idea of damaging a classmate’s reputation through social media. The boy could not handle the exposure of shame, embarrassment, and harassment he went through on social media.
Whether or not you have social media. Anyone who has social media is psychologically invested in how their character and personality are portrayed on these platforms.
If social media algorithms are causing our societies, cities, classrooms, and countries and families to be exposed to racism, sexism, homophobia, or Islamophobia, or hatred and anger. We must consider the notion that social media algorithms do not have humanity’s best interest in mind.
Some social media algorithms are carefully designed to play into your emotions and impulses. These algorithms are created by state actors and actresses, and blaming artificial intelligence is not going to solve the issues presented here. These algorithms are created by other human beings and then employed on platforms.
We must exercise caution and logic when it comes to what we allow these algorithms to feed us. These algorithms prey on the young and the old because they tend to rely on emotional tracks rather than logic and critical thinking.
Social media isn’t all bad. Social media is used as a form of expression. We can speak and talk with friends and family from all over the world.
However, the line in the sand is when these social media algorithms cause us to feel hate, anger, envy, jealousy, or a fear of missing out.
The moment you start to become emotionally dissatisfied after scrolling through social media should automatically raise red flags.
If your algorithm is feeding you bias and stereotypes that draw on your emotions and cause you anger and frustration at events or people that you have absolutely no control over, it should be a concern for you to take a step back from these platforms.
The Rwandan genocide state actors and state actresses utilized the radio to spread violence and hatred. Imagine how clever these criminal actors and actresses have become today?
We advise you to exercise extreme caution when trusting what you see on social media.
Art may be in the eye of the beholder. Truth may be subjective and objective.
But if social media is reinforcing your implicit and explicit biases. Red flags should be raised as a danger to your mental and psychological well-being.
Take caution when examining your social media accounts and consider what the algorithms are presenting to you.
Mitigate risk by thinking clearly and logically about what content you’re consuming.
If social media is reinforcing your own biases about people, groups, religions, or ethnic tribes. You may need to remind yourself that each of us is created with love and difference. But that difference should never be weaponized as it was during the Rwandan genocide.
Our opinions and what we believe should never cause us to commit crimes against humanity, our neighbors, or other countries.
Not a single one of us is perfect, nor is any country.
We are all human beings, and each of us deserves our own space, respect, and love, not just for ourselves but also for our neighbors.
Be the change you want to see in the world.