Is monetization one of the worst things to happen to social media? There was a time when people simply made posts online because they had something to say. Back in the day when looking perfect wasn’t the goal, but just putting ourselves out there. We took raw pictures, and posted whatever came to our minds, no matter how ridiculous they were.
But then, in the past few years, we got to see social media get monetized and it’s as if all hell has broken loose. Even people who were never into social media prior to all this have suddenly taken an interest in content creation. And as far as I’m concerned, it’s a calculated move because it has driven up traffic for the platform. There are more active people on social media and that translates to more money for them.
So, while people spread fake and controversial news online, while people do anything and everything they can to trend and drive engagement, the owners of the platforms are simply smiling at the bank every day. Because when all is said and done, they’re raking it in. They’re making bank from those creating content and those consuming it. It’s awesome.
But then again, is monetization the worst thing to happen to social media? I can’t say that it is. You can’t blame social media for the way people choose to use it. When it was created, it wasn’t with the intention of turning the world upside down and driving millions of young ones into depression and unhealthy online competition. It was simply a means to connect people and give them a voice in a world that was strongly controlled by the government.
It’s just like blaming guns and knives for the violence that we face in the world today. Guns can’t be blamed. They’re weapons designed to protect and defend. In the hands of the right person, it can be an empowering tool, but in the hands of the wrong person, it will bring nothing but pain and disaster. That’s exactly what we see in social media. As with guns, the major problem of social media is people.
People will do anything to get what they want. Before monetization, people went to great lengths to get famous so they could have followers and as such, begin to get endorsements. That was how they made money back in the day. However, all that is in the past now. While many still look for endorsements, it’s no longer the ultimate goal. The more realistic goal is to simply get monetized and then make money on every post that you make.
So, we have people who will do anything to drive engagement. Some people will wear next to nothing, not because they want to show off their bodies, but because they know that people will bash them in the comments. That’s what they’re after. Some can go as far as disowning their mothers online so that angry folks can share their angry thoughts in the comments. At the end of the day, it won’t matter the post they made or the impact it had. What would matter are the engagements and in the end, they’ll get paid.
This is why bad news will always sell. Because the story of someone’s sex tape leaking will always sell way more than the story of a lady who became a CEO in a male-dominated world. Is there anyone to blame? It’s already established that social media can’t be blamed. But then, you can’t blame the creators either. After all, they know exactly what the audience wants. They want sensation and they will be sure to deliver it back to back.
So, maybe the problem is with the consumers. By choosing to consume such content, they encourage such behaviors. By choosing to always engage in provocative posts, they encourage it. And seeing as the creators don’t meet any form of resistance, it goes on without a single hitch.
So, social media is not the problem, and creators are not the problem either. The consumers are. The minute that people become more intentional about the content they consume and decide what post actually gets their precious engagement, things will change and the creators will be forced to conform to the new way.
I’m certain of it.
I agree also that neither the creator nor the tools are at fault. The consumers are the ones who chose how they utilize the tool. A lot of crazy and unimaginable things have been going on online.
Yep. The consumers are definitely the problem because if the consumers fail to condemn the act of those creators that they know are detrimental, then they're also contributing to it. Sadly, the number of consumers that actually care about the truth are outweighed by those that prefer the rush of fake news.
I also agree with you. It's like a double-edged sword, and it will give advantages or share the negative influence depending on the people who use it. In the beginning, people only try to get attention, and they don't hesitate to go the extra mile.
it's always the people bruno. just like everything in life. things are inherently bad but it's the people that can make things bad ;D