To put it simply, social media algorithms are sets of mathematical rules. These rules are used specifically by social media platforms to determine what type of content is shown to users through their feed, what they search for the most in their search bar, and what type of content they interact with the most consistantly. These algorithms are designed to personalize the user experience by predicting the type of content a user is most likely to engage with based on their past interactions, this included likes, shares, reposts etc. For example, if you were to scroll on my tik tok, you would see an algorithm filled with cooking recipes, dogs, and makeup/fashion videos.

While I personally love the algorithim because it has perfectly shaped my tik tok feed, and I always know I will be satisfied when I scroll on my lunch break, or free time. The main reason why social media algorithms exist is to improve user engagement and satisfaction, as per my comment, which in turn can increase the platform’s profitability. By showing users content that they are more likely to be interested in, social media platforms can keep users engaged for longer periods of time, which can lead to more ad revenue and increased user loyalty. These algorithms know me better than I know myself!