Fear of being left out of the feed and FOMO anxiety in social media users

While the internet and social media, which were communication-focused in the past, have transformed into a dynamic flow built on where people go and what they do today, users worry about being left out of the feed on platforms.

The Transformation of the Internet and Social Media

The internet, which people once visited cafes to access, was a virtual environment where much information that was previously hard to reach was presented together, and data could be recorded more easily compared to physical methods.

Over time, as the internet and social media entered homes, they broke away from a communication-focused structure and turned into a feed built on where people go and what they do today.

Infinite Scrolling and the Need to Share

Ludmila Lupinacci, a lecturer at the University of Leeds School of Media and Communication, stated that platform interfaces are designed with features like infinite scrolling and notifications to increase time spent.

Lupinacci stated that users feel the need to share instantly in order to be part of the feed and the conversation, and to increase their visibility by participating in trending movements.

Conversion of Interactions into Economic Value

In this system where social media companies convert users into economic value, forms of interaction such as likes and shares evolve into statistical data for companies.

FOMO and Its Effects on Mental Health

The most striking emotion this system feeds on is the concept of FOMO, defined as the fear of missing out.

In a research paper published by Dr. Jon D. Elhai, a professor of psychology at the University of Toledo in the US, and his colleagues, problematic social media use is associated with depression, anxiety, and stress.

The research emphasizes that individuals with high levels of FOMO turn to smartphone and social media use to alleviate these fears.