Over the past years, social media has completely reshaped how most people communicate, learn, and interact with the world around us. Platforms like Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, TikTok, or even the corporate oriented LinkedIn have woven themselves into the fabric of everyday life, offering endless content and constant connectivity. On the surface, they seem like miraculous tools for staying informed and connected. But over time, what I’ve come to see is that these platforms supposedely designed to keep us engaged and informed often do the opposite. They make us intellectually lazier, more vulnerable to manipulation, and less inclined to engage in deep, thoughtful conversations - not to mention the implications for our digital security and privacy. Since then, figuring out how to “reverse it” has become something personal for me.
The more I used social media, the more I realized how much of what I saw wasn’t organic or random, but chosen for me by algorithms. These complex systems were meant to analyze our behavior like what we click on, what we ignore, how long we linger on a post, and then serve us more of the same (with a bunch of ads together). It usually feels helpful at first, like our feed can understand us, but over time, we easily notice something more troubling. For me, I was being shown only the kinds of content I agreed with, that I found entertaining or emotionally connected. Without even noticing, I’d scroll through my feed and feel validated, but not challenged. The more I thought about it, the more I realized how much this was shrinking my ability to think critically and see other perspectives.
These platforms are designed to be addictive. I remember waking up in the morning and instinctively reaching for my phone, scrolling through notifications, hoping for messages or new content. All of that for a tiny jolt of pleasure, like I was winning some kind of game. What I didn’t realize was that this was all by design. These platforms use principles from behavioral psychology to create loops that keep us coming back. I found myself checking my phone dozens of times a day without even thinking. My attention span shrank. I struggled to sit with a book or focus on a deep conversation without wanting to check in on what I was “missing” online. It was exhausting.
I thought I was just casually scrolling, however I was actually part of a much larger system of commercialized attention. These platforms aren’t free out of goodwill - they’re businesses, and what they’re really selling is us: our time, our focus, our personal data. The more I engaged, the more they could track, package, and sell myself to advertisers. And to keep me engaged, they had every reason to prioritize the most provocative, emotionally charged content they could find. I started to notice how much of what I was seeing was designed to trigger me.
I also started to notice a growing sense of intellectual laziness in myself and others. With so much information constantly available, why bother digging deeper? I caught myself reading or watching headlines and assuming I understood the whole story. My friends would form strong opinions based on short clips or tweets, and I did it too. We were just exchanging hot takes. The space for complexity and nuance seemed to be shrinking by the day. It made me question how well any of us were really understanding a bit of the world we live in.
Maybe the most damaging effect, though, was the way social media divide people. I watched many becoming more entrenched in their beliefs, more hostile to those who disagreed, and friendships fray over political issues.
Still, I don’t believe all is lost. I’ve been trying to take back control of how I use social media, and it’s made a difference. The first step was becoming aware, recognizing that what I see isn’t neutral or random. I quit big techs social platforms a couple of years ago, started this blog, and joined Mastodon. I’m way more open to different viewpoints, following people I disagreed with just to challenge my assumptions. I also began limiting my screen time, setting boundaries around how often I checked my phone. Sometimes I’d do digital detox weekends where I wouldn’t go online at all, and those were some of the most refreshing days. Also, I need to be an example for the kids in the house.
It was hard at first as my brain felt out of shape, but it got easier over time, and I feel sharper and more grounded. I made a point of questioning my assumptions and fact-checking what I read. I diversified my news sources, following outlets with different political leanings so I wasn’t stuck in a single narrative - and believe me, this is challenging. I also started practicing digital minimalism, being more intentional about what platforms I use, and why.
It’s clear to me now that social media’s impact on our minds and our society is big, but it’s not irreversible. With awareness and intentional effort, we can reclaim our capacity for critical thought and meaningful connection. It’s not about rejecting technology, but making sure we’re the ones in control of it, not the other way around.