Amusing or addictive? The algorithms powering our social feeds

The way social media algorithms operate is a defining element of our digital lives, curating content for users based on their browsing behaviors and personal information. In an upcoming Australian legislative change, individuals may soon have the option to opt out of these algorithms, holding tech companies accountable for safeguarding young users from harmful content.

Upon opening platforms like TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, or others, a scrolling feed or recommendation bar emerges, displaying content tailored to individual interests. These posts are curated by programming rules known as algorithms that anticipate user engagement, whether it be something liked or provoking. Primarily, the recommendations are founded on what the machine comprehends about the user: past online interactions, posts, and data including age, occupation, location, and marital status.

Major social media corporations typically keep the coding behind these algorithms, the elusive "secret sauce" that directs traffic to their platforms, under tight wraps. Repeated instances of opening your phone during breaks often result in losing track of time and continuing to scroll. This design is intentional, according to researchers and activists.

Social media platforms have implemented addictive features that entice individuals to remain online longer than intended, sometimes at the detriment of sleep, well-being, and real-world connections, asserts Mark Williams, an honorary professor of cognitive neuroscience at Macquarie University. A recent Los Angeles trial accuses tech giants of crafting "addiction machines."

Experts attribute this to tactics employed by companies to encourage scrolling, such as infinite feeds, intermittent rewards, and timely notifications. The unpredictability triggers the dopamine system, fostering a compulsive cycle of seeking and anticipation, as University of Leicester lecturer Quynh Hoang notes. This can lead to dependence akin to substance addiction, according to research published in the online medical journal Cureus last year.

By promoting emotionally engaging content, many argue that social media can lead users into "rabbit holes" that are challenging to exit. Algorithms have been blamed for steering teenage boys toward the "manosphere": online communities and influencers promoting misogyny and violence against women. Melbourne-based men's health charity Movember's research indicates that social media can unintentionally guide young men from lighthearted posts about fitness and sports to violent, extreme content.

"We're already witnessing the ramifications in Australian schools, where misogyny is rampant," Steven Roberts from Monash University points out. "Our nationwide survey of over 2,600 teachers revealed that 70% frequently or occasionally observed the influence of manosphere social media influencers on students' attitudes and behavior."

Under Australia's new legislation, social media giants must grant users the ability to "opt out" of their algorithms and bear responsibility for protecting minors from pornography, online bullying, and content promoting criminal activities or eating disorders. The "my feed, my way" initiative seeks to restore social media to its fundamentals: a feed centered on updates from friends, family, and pages you follow.

The Australian government has furnished citizens with a switch. Whether it is activated remains to be seen, according to Lisa Harrison, a lecturer in communication and media at Flinders University. In a 2025 survey of over 6,000 people in six countries, only one in five expressed a willingness to switch off personalized recommendations if given the choice.

Despite the algorithm's adeptness, those who opt out may find their feed of friends and creators less dynamic than before.