Social Media Algorithms Keep Users in a Cycle of Anger and Anxiety
Algorithms on digital platforms are designed to trigger anger and anxiety in order to increase advertising revenue and maintain user attention.
It is stated that social media feeds are not accidental, but rather specially designed to keep users constantly anxious, angry, and addicted to their screens. This situation creates severe impacts on human psychology and social life.
Endless Feed and Cycle of Anger
Unlike traditional newspapers, digital feeds keep users trapped in a cycle of bad news through the infinite scroll feature, which eliminates natural stopping points.
Psychologists state that the use of moral and emotional language accelerates shares, creating an ecosystem that rewards anger rather than calm information.
Physical and Mental Reactions
The human body reacts to this digital bombardment through the triggering of the amygdala, secreting cortisol and adrenaline just as it would when facing physical danger.
The inability of users to find a physical outlet to release this tension leads to chronic stress, insomnia, and shortened attention spans.
Fake News and Distorted Content
Research clearly reveals that disinformation and sensational content spread much faster than reliable news and generate significantly more anger.
Impact on Children and Youth
The negative effects on children and youth have become quite pronounced; childhood has completely evolved from a play-based interaction to a phone-based structure.
Social psychologist Jonathan Haidt links this shift to a decline in sleep quality, anxiety, depression, and rising rates of self-harm among youth.
Global Regulations and Legal Measures
In the face of these mental health and social concerns, governments around the world have begun to move away from the concept of individual self-control.
Stricter transparency obligations, such as the Digital Services Act implemented by the European Union, aim to make platforms comply with the rules.