There’s a saying: “When you aren’t paying for a product, you are the product.” In this week’s episode, I spoke about how social media makes us angry and upset about topics that have no real relevance in our lives.
How often does a post make you angry?
If you're an active user on any social media platform, I want you to think about how many times a week you’re angry from a post. That’s because social media promotes negativity, and by pushing negativity you will stay engaged.
Why your brain focuses on the negative
Our brains focus on what is negative. This is hard wired in our brains, if you will, for survival. This is known as negativity bias. But social media platforms know that, and use it to their advantage. The more likely that you are angry, the more likely you are to engage with the content.
Research fits with this. A 2018 study in Science by Vosoughi, Roy and Aral found that false news was about 70 percent more likely to be retweeted than true news, and that humans, not bots, drove the difference (MIT Sloan summary).
What creators know about anger and fear
When it comes to the creators on these platforms, most of us know that we will make posts, videos, etc. to engage anger and fear. The more anger, fear and curiosity, the more our content will get pushed. The more it gets pushed, the more we make from the platform.
Who profits from your anger?
When you aren’t paying for a product, you are the product. That’s when you as the viewer come in. Your anger and your fears are for sale. They are sold to advertisers, they are sold to brand deals, and they are sold to exclusive rights to a platform.
The 24-hour rule: wait before you react
In the episode, I suggested that whenever you see a post that makes you angry, wait. Wait 24 hours before sharing it, before a comment, before re-posting it.
And if you’re still angry after 24 hours, then do all of the things you would have done on impulse. I believe waiting 24 hours would show you that the thing you’re mad at is not that serious.
Five ways to break the loop
The episode also covers five practical ways to take back your attention:
- Add friction. Take the apps off your home screen, or off your phone.
- Clean your feed. Mute or unfollow accounts that leave you angry.
- Set windows. Check the news and social media at chosen times.
- Replace the pull. Decide ahead what you will do when you reach for your phone.
- Point it forward. The goal is not less information. It is more of your own life.
