Social media algorithm is broken. Enjoy your unexpected car history lesson
Many social media sites, particularly Facebook, in recent times have seemingly been abuzz with captions unrelated to the content. But why has this trend become so popular?
It is Thursday night. You are doom scrolling on social media and suddenly you come across a photo card featuring a politician, the photo card implying that the politician has said something rather controversial. You click on the photo to know more and suddenly you find yourself learning "10 unknown facts about BMW" or "The history of Mercedes CLR GT."
Social media, particularly Facebook, in recent times has seemingly been abuzz with such content. But why has this trend become so popular?
The immense popularity of this tactic prompts inquiries into the workings of social media algorithms. What tactics are used, and how do they leverage the mechanisms of platforms like Facebook to enhance visibility?
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Why the car lesson?
This strategy centres on Facebook's algorithm, which determines the content users encounter based on factors such as engagement (likes, shares, comments), user preferences, trending topics, and visual appeal. The algorithm promotes content that engages users for extended periods, often prioritising posts that generate higher clicks and interactions.
Images are essential in this context. Facebook's system responds quickly to visuals, as they capture user attention more rapidly than text. The algorithm significantly considers trending topics and societal events, including political news, crises, and humanitarian issues. Users scrolling through their feeds tend to pause on images related to current events, even if they are not particularly interested in the content.
Content creators take advantage of this by crafting posts that link an image to a popular or controversial topic — while the text and actual content remain unrelated. A politician's picture might be paired with a post titled "10 unknown facts about BMW," while an image of children in Gaza could accompany a post about Mercedes.
The post generates cognitive dissonance that grabs attention, prompting users to engage out of curiosity or confusion.
Clickbait and engagement traps
The aim of these posts is clear: enhance engagement. Users are more inclined to click on content when it features an image of a polarising figure or an emotionally charged subject, even if the content seems unrelated, to uncover the connection.
This often exemplifies clickbait — titles or images that entice users to click on content that fails to fulfil its promise.
When users interact with the post by clicking, liking, or commenting, the Facebook algorithm recognises this content as valuable. The system enhances the post's visibility, extending its reach to a larger audience. Content creators exploit this algorithmic loophole by using sensational or emotionally charged images unrelated to the actual text to trick Facebook into amplifying their posts to a larger audience.
In certain instances, the tactic is even more sinister. These posts may act as a means for advertising, data collection, or promoting affiliate links, all concealed by a deceptive title.
Content creators and spammers exploit the algorithm to reach a wider audience and drive traffic to unrelated or dubious websites for financial gain.
Concerns regarding politics and ethics
This trend is not only annoying or confusing for users; it also raises several ethical concerns. Emotionally charged images, like those depicting children in conflict zones or political figures, manipulate users by exploiting their emotional responses.
This can result in misinformation, as individuals may mistakenly believe there is a link between the image and the content of the post, when in fact, there is none.
Additionally, these tactics may undermine trust in the platform. Facebook has consistently faced challenges regarding its reputation as a platform for fake news, and misleading posts like these worsen the issue.
These posts may not directly spread false information, but they foster a culture of sensationalism and manipulation, inundating users with deceptive content.
Wider effects on information consumption
This type of content greatly impacts the way people interact with information on social media. As users grow accustomed to these kinds of posts, they may cultivate scepticism regarding the content, which could lead to a wider distrust of reliable news and educational resources.
The information landscape is flooded with clickbait and manipulative content, making it difficult for users to differentiate between authentic news and simple distractions.
Using sensitive topics, such as conflicts or political issues, to enhance engagement diminishes the gravity of serious global events.
The utilisation of images showcasing children affected by war or political leaders engaged in critical matters to advertise car content undermines the importance of those genuine circumstances, reducing them to simple marketing instruments.
What actions can be taken?
Users and platforms like Facebook need to take a more proactive stance to tackle this issue. Facebook is improving its algorithm to more effectively recognise and reduce the dissemination of misleading or clickbait content.
Improving image recognition technology and creating systems to identify inappropriate image usage is one approach. Platforms might consider enforcing more severe consequences for posts that repeatedly utilise irrelevant images to attract attention.
Users should thoughtfully assess the content they interact with. It is important to evaluate whether the image and title of the post align with its content, instead of clicking out of simple curiosity. Users have the ability to address this trend by reporting misleading posts, encouraging platforms to respond to the issue with greater effectiveness.
