Social Media Series [Part 4] : The Algorithm Knows You Better Than Your Friends
You don’t pick your thoughts anymore.
You think you do. But open your phone, and the algorithm’s already decided what’s on your mind today.
That trending topic? That viral controversy? That product you suddenly want?
Not random. Not coincidence. Just data doing its job.
It’s subtle. It’s invisible. And that’s why it works so well.
Once, your worldview was shaped by the people around you—family, friends, mentors. Now, it’s shaped by an AI that feeds you more of whatever keeps you scrolling.
You’re not just a user. You’re a profile in a system. A constantly refined model, optimized for engagement.
It learns what makes you tick.
It learns what makes you mad.
It learns how to keep you here just a little longer.
The more you use it, the more you train it.
The more it trains you, the more predictable you become.
People used to say, “You become the average of the five people you spend the most time with.”
But what if you spend the most time with an algorithm?
What happens when it knows you better than your best friend?
What happens when it reinforces every bias, feeds every insecurity, fuels every addiction?
You’re not being shown what’s true.
You’re being shown what works.
And what works—for them—is whatever keeps you watching.
So what now?
You could fight it. But let’s be real—you won’t. Neither will I.
It’s too good at what it does.
It’s too convenient. Too fun. Too seamless.
The best you can do? Be aware.
Because once you know you’re being shaped, you can start choosing who you become.