There was a time when the only channel I watch was E-news. I watch the shows for hours in an almost half awake state. I listen to the same adverts over and over that it gets stuck in my head. The same celebrity gossip being repeated a few times a day that you begin to believe it as true.
Until one day, like a light bulb turned on in my head. I noticed a pattern. When a certain celebrity is being talked about in today's gossip, a few days later they will show E True Hollywood story that shows that celebrity as an individual we can all relate to. It makes us feel sympathetic towards that person. It flips your earlier emotions of that person. Manipulation.
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Everything in moderation. Too much of anything is bad for you. The same for social media.
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Algorithm. Manipulation. Fake news. The goal is to keep you glued to your screen that later becomes an addiction.
The AI or the technology was developed to feed our curiosity. It studies our behaviour online - how long we spend on a post, what we press Like on, which post we comment. The AI takes these information to recommend more post of similar nature. It makes it possible for people with the same ideas to connect without ever meeting one another in real life. However, it also keeps us away from people who have opposite opinions from us. We don't see their posts on our feed. That is how the technology was created.
Repetition. When we hear the same message over and over again, when we are being exposed to the same scenario over and over again that forms part of our subconscious. We begin to believe it as True and the Only Truth.
The problem with AI is it does not filter fake news or fake information. Everything you read, see, you don't know if it's true. But you see it enough that it becomes the truth. Think about it enough times in our head, it becomes our reality.
How then do we protect ourselves from falling prey? Do we unplug and uninstall everything. Keep our life offline. You can, if that's what you want and if that is possible for you. Best is to do everything in moderation.
Most of these tech experts don't allow their kids screen time. This reminds me of some actors who don't allow their children to watch TV. The irony of the whole situation is unbelievable.
Some of the things they said in the end is to
1. Uninstall apps you don't actually use
2. Turn OFF notifications
3. Turn OFF video recommendations
4. Fact check before sharing. Check from many different source
5. Expand your view. Gather information. Listen to people who doesn't share the same idea or opinion as you.
And of course to cut yourself off and disconnect.
We must now be intentional even in using technology and social media. We must be careful to not be carried away by an idea or a concept. Always take every information with a grain of salt.
This is easier said than done of course. Like a child who likes candies, and constantly being offered sugar. Do we have the self control to stop eating it? Are we mature enough to say One candy is enough?
Watch The Social Dilemma on netflix.
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