Scroll, Pause, Repeat: The AI Trap You Didn't Know You’re In

Image Source: Medium

In 2025, social media algorithms powered by AI are no longer just curating your feed—they’re shaping your worldview. From TikTok to YouTube, platforms are deploying increasingly advanced AI to predict, personalize, and persuade.

Hyper-Personalization

AI now tracks every scroll, pause, and click to serve content that keeps users glued to their screens. These invisible engines of curation prioritize engagement over truth, often elevating emotionally charged or polarizing content.

Youth in the Crosshairs

Amid growing concern, Australia’s eSafety Commissioner has proposed including YouTube in an under-16 social media ban. The move follows data showing that over one-third of children report encountering disturbing content through the platform’s AI-driven suggestions.

Ethical Minefield

News platforms like Technical.ly are exploring “trusted messengers” to counteract misinformation. With AI favoring shareability, legitimate journalism is increasingly competing with viral speculation in algorithm-controlled spaces.

The Illusion of Choice

Experts compare these algorithms to “invisible DJs” that remix our content feeds based on habits—not ethics. This creates an echo chamber that might seem personal but often reinforces existing biases while filtering out dissenting voices.

As AI deepens its grip on social platforms, questions about transparency, accountability, and digital literacy are surfacing more urgently than ever. Understanding how these systems function may be the new literacy of the digital age.

Sources: Technical.ly, MSN News, University of Alabama at Birmingham