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| How Social Networks Are Manipulating Gen Z |
Generation Z, or Gen Z for short, is the cohort of people born between 1997 and 2012. They are the first generation to grow up with the internet and social media as an integral part of their daily lives. They are also the most diverse, educated, and digitally savvy generation in history.
But while Gen Z has many advantages and opportunities in the digital age, they also face many challenges and risks. One of them is the manipulation and influence of social networks on their behavior, preferences, and opinions.
What is social network manipulation?
Social network manipulation is the use of various techniques and strategies to shape, steer, or alter the online activities or perceptions of users on social media platforms. These techniques can include:
• Content creation and curation: The production and distribution of content that is designed to appeal to a specific audience, elicit a certain reaction, or promote a certain agenda. This can include fake news, misinformation, propaganda, clickbait, memes, viral videos, etc.
• Algorithmic amplification: The use of algorithms or artificial intelligence to boost the visibility, reach, or engagement of certain content or users on social media platforms. This can include recommendation systems, personalized feeds, trending topics, hashtags, etc.
• User engagement: The use of various tactics to attract, retain, or influence the behavior or emotions of users on social media platforms. This can include likes, comments, shares, followers, ratings, reviews, rewards, gamification, etc.
• User profiling and targeting: The use of data collection and analysis to create detailed profiles of users based on their online activities, preferences, or characteristics. This can include cookies, trackers, pixels, tags, etc.
• User manipulation: The use of various methods to persuade, deceive, coerce, or exploit users on social media platforms. This can include bots, trolls, sockpuppets, influencers, ads, sponsored posts, etc.
How are social networks manipulating Gen Z?
Gen Z is the most active and engaged generation on social media platforms. According to a report by Insider Intelligence, Gen Zers in the US make heavy use of many social networks to create connections, consume multimedia, play games, and share content. The social networks with the most monthly Gen Z users are Snapchat (42.0 million), TikTok (37.3 million), and Instagram (33.3 million).
These platforms are also the most preferred by Gen Z over the next four years. However, these platforms are not neutral or harmless spaces for Gen Z to express themselves or have fun. They are also powerful tools for manipulating and influencing their behavior, preferences, and opinions.
Some examples of how social networks are manipulating Gen Z are:
• Content creation and curation: Social networks create and curate content that is tailored to Gen Z’s interests, values, and identities. For example, TikTok’s algorithm learns from each user’s interactions and preferences to show them more content that they are likely to enjoy or engage with. This can create a feedback loop that reinforces their existing views or exposes them to new ones that may not be accurate or reliable.
• Algorithmic amplification: Social networks amplify content that is more likely to generate engagement, buzz, or controversy among Gen Z users. For example, YouTube’s recommendation system suggests videos that are similar to what users have watched before or what other users with similar profiles have watched. This can create an echo chamber that limits their exposure to diverse or opposing perspectives or information.
• User engagement: Social networks use various tactics to encourage Gen Z users to spend more time, attention, or money on their platforms. For example, Snapchat’s streak feature rewards users for sending snaps to their friends every day. This can create an addiction or dependency that affects their mental health or well-being.
• User profiling and targeting: Social networks collect and analyze massive amounts of data from Gen Z users to create detailed profiles of their online activities, preferences, or characteristics. For example, Instagram’s ad platform allows advertisers to target users based on their age, gender, location, interests, behaviors, etc. This can create a privacy invasion or a manipulation that affects their choices or actions.
• User manipulation: Social networks use various methods to persuade, deceive, coerce, or exploit Gen Z users on their platforms. For example, influencers on social media platforms often promote products or services to their followers without disclosing their sponsorship deals. This can create a deception or a coercion that affects their trust or judgment.
What are the consequences of social network manipulation for Gen Z?
Social network manipulation can have serious consequences for Gen Z’s development, education, and citizenship. Some of the potential impacts are:
• Cognitive impact: Social network manipulation can affect Gen Z’s ability to think critically, rationally, or independently. It can also affect their attention span, memory, or learning outcomes.
• Emotional impact: Social network manipulation can affect Gen Z’s mood, self-esteem, or happiness. It can also affect their stress level, anxiety, or depression.
• Social impact: Social network manipulation can affect Gen Z’s relationships, communication, or collaboration. It can also affect their sense of belonging, identity, or diversity.
• Behavioral impact: Social network manipulation can affect Gen Z’s choices, actions, or habits. It can also affect their consumption, spending, or saving.
• Civic impact: Social network manipulation can affect Gen Z’s awareness, knowledge, or opinion. It can also affect their participation, engagement, or activism.
How can Gen Z protect themselves from social network manipulation?
Gen Z is not helpless or hopeless in the face of social network manipulation. They can take some steps to protect themselves and empower themselves on social media platforms. Some of the possible actions are:
• Educate themselves: Gen Z can learn more about how social networks work and how they manipulate them. They can also learn more about how to evaluate the quality, credibility, or bias of the content or information they encounter on social media platforms.
• Diversify themselves: Gen Z can explore different social networks and different types of content or information on them. They can also expose themselves to different perspectives or viewpoints from different sources or people on social media platforms.
• Limit themselves: Gen Z can reduce the amount of time, attention, or money they spend on social media platforms. They can also set boundaries or rules for themselves on when, where, or how they use social media platforms.
• Control themselves: Gen Z can manage their privacy settings and data sharing preferences on social media platforms. They can also manage their notifications, subscriptions, or interactions on social media platforms.
• Express themselves: Gen Z can use social media platforms as a tool for self-expression, creativity, or empowerment. They can also use social media platforms as a tool for social good, advocacy, or change.
Gen Z is the generation that is being manipulated by social networks. But they are also the generation that can resist and challenge social network manipulation. By educating, diversifying, limiting, controlling, and expressing themselves on social media platforms, they can become more informed, critical, and responsible digital citizens.
