SPD proposal: Social media rules also for adults
LinkedIn bragging and AI Slop are almost as problematic for adults as they are for young people, says Eva-Maria WeiĂź.
A man looks at his smartphone. Perhaps he's wondering why his old school friend has, according to LinkedIn, started an even better job again.
(Image: antoniodiaz / Shutterstock.com)
The SPD has made a comprehensive proposal on how to make social media safer for young people. The differentiation they are making is absolutely sensible. Above all, it is much better to regulate usage and functionalities than to issue a general ban. In doing so, the party surprisingly considers a drawback that is otherwise often overlooked: what many people post drives others crazy to the point of illness – adults too, and not just young people.
We talk a lot about the poor young people who suffer from beautified posts on social networks. Influencers sell them a supposedly ideal world. Everything is perfect, the makeup, the outfit, and of course, the entire life. Dream holidays, always enough time for oneself, because of course, it's also always about self-optimization.
This creates considerable social pressure for young people. It is undisputed that this effect exists. But it doesn't just affect young people. Adults also worry that their lifestyle simply pales in comparison to Instagram. Almost as bad: adults engage in real bragging contests on LinkedIn. This problem also needs to be addressed.
While the reverse trend has long since set in on Instagram, on the actual job platform, megalomania and the hype train are still raging. On Instagram and TikTok, for example, numerous influencers now speak unvarnished into the camera – many also about worries and problems.
On LinkedIn, on the other hand, a perfect image prevails: one example is AI disciples who celebrate every model, don't realize that their image and graphics posts are perceived by others as AI Slop, and yet somehow manage to make everyone else feel they are not sufficiently on guard.
The glamorous appearances of some, the job changes after wonderful years of others, and the oh-so-easy peasy work-life balance of yet others, whose children are the best in the world, do nothing more to adults than the makeup professionals do to young girls. Envy and insecurity. Rage-bait, i.e., posts that trigger outrage, perform well for the platforms and land at the top of our feeds – sometimes with a very serious appearance.
Of course, there are also informative posts. People who post articles and studies, who are experts in a field, or good observers. And even on Instagram, there is content that is fun: less from a professional context, but I, for example, like the many DIY instructions and recipes, as well as some interior design ideas and restaurant reviews.
Feeds without algorithms
Now the SPD wants to give young people and adults the opportunity to shape their feeds more themselves again. Algorithmic recommendation systems are to be deactivated by default. If you want recommendations, you have to activate them. More posts from people and accounts you follow should be visible again. In fact, I would also like to discover content – just not rage-bait, but really relevant posts to what I'm watching.
For young people, there are further restrictions, such as with doom-scrolling, i.e., endless swiping. In my opinion, this could also be restricted for adults at the same time.
Videos by heise
The social network providers will not be pleased with what the SPD is planning. But even for them, it should seem a more feasible path than a general ban for under-16s, who are then released into a kind of shark tank on their birthday.
Moreover, the implementation should be technically quite easy. Basically, for example, Instagram already has numerous functions for children and young people that correspond to the party's proposal. TikTok and YouTube can also be adapted, and on Facebook, one can use the option to mark certain posts as undesirable. Only far too few people have used this so far.
There will be a struggle over the feasibility of the proposals, over the boundaries, and of course, over who shouts the loudest. My great hope is that it will continue to be not just about young people. YouTube's rabbit holes are deep, LinkedIn's bragging runs deep in some. Facebook posts, such as that everything was better in the past, not only evoke memories, they also distort discourse and simply put one in a very bad mood – at any age.
(emw)
