NEXT MEDIA

Freedom from Algorithms: Breaking the Cycle of Endless Scrolling

For many young people, digital feeds have become the primary lens through which reality is encountered and interpreted. Platforms structure visibility by rewarding speed, emotional intensity, and constant interaction, determining what appears relevant, credible, and important. In this attention economy, validation is quantified, attention becomes currency, and self-presentation turns strategic. What gains traction is often what provokes the fastest reaction, not what sustains reflection. The frictionless design of personalised feeds and endless scrolling fosters a subtle digital hedonism, where immediate stimulation and approval take precedence over depth, patience, and critical distance.

This session will examine how algorithmic systems incentivise behaviour and shape patterns of visibility, expression, and participation in the public sphere. It will explore how emotionally charged and stimulation-driven content encourages performance-oriented communication, short attention cycles, and habits of passive consumption. The discussion will also assess the responsibilities of platforms and media institutions, and consider how young people can move from endless scrolling towards more conscious, independent, and reflective digital participation.

Discussion Themes:

• How do social media algorithms structure visibility, and which types of content do they consistently reward?

• How does the quantification of validation (likes, shares, views) reshape self-presentation and perceptions of success?

• How does the culture of instant gratification reshape young people’s understanding of identity, success, and personal fulfilment?

• What practical steps can help young people transition from passive consumption to active, conscious engagement in the digital age?