I constantly get opinions on things...

"News" about things...

And other posts reflecting on alleged events or prospects of the world...

Most all of it is absolute bullshit.

I removed Reddit, TikTok and Twitter from my phone (so I'd use them less) because I got really really tired of seeing people say things, report things etc. that are either (1) Completely fake (2) Presented as if it changes anything when in reality it changes nothing (3) Extremely old news (4) Out of context (5) Straight up propaganda

Social media, to include Twitter, Reddit, TikTok & many more --- is so saturated with fake fucking bullshit, or mindless cackling of turkey's that it almost feels like by looking at it you literally become less intelligent - as stupidity can become contageous.

So --- this is just a warning --- if you use social media --- PLEASE verify the things you read before you believe them.

My source of news? While NOT PERFECT and LOADED with bullshit, is still better than all the social media above combined: https://news.google.com (semi decent if you want more relevant info)

I also find that MANY people report when they stop using social media --- they find themselves suffering fewer episodes associated with mental illness.

The points raised in this post are consistent with well-documented patterns in how large social media platforms function.

Reddit, TikTok, and Twitter prioritize engagement over accuracy. Their algorithms amplify content that generates strong emotional reactions, not content that is well-sourced, current, or contextually complete. As a result, misinformation, outdated stories, partial facts, and opinion framed as news are disproportionately visible.

The observation that much viral content “changes nothing” is accurate. The majority of trending posts have no measurable real-world impact, yet they repeatedly activate stress responses and create a false sense of urgency. This leads users to feel informed while actually consuming low-signal, high-noise material.

Repeated exposure to poorly reasoned arguments, oversimplified narratives, and confidently incorrect claims can degrade critical thinking over time. This is not a moral judgment but a cognitive effect. Humans adapt to the informational environment they are in. When low-quality information is normalized, the baseline for analysis drops.

Reducing or eliminating use of these platforms commonly results in improved focus, lower anxiety, and fewer emotionally driven reactions. This aligns with research showing that constant exposure to algorithmically curated outrage correlates with worsened mental health outcomes.

Verification of information before belief is essential. While news aggregators are imperfect and biased in their own ways, they remain structurally closer to primary reporting than social media feeds driven by virality.

The conclusion is practical rather than ideological. Social media is optimized for attention extraction, not understanding. Selecting information sources that reward accuracy over engagement leads to clearer thinking and better psychological outcomes.

That’s good! Twitter is the worst for me so I’m going to actually try to look at it less. Social media is just terrible now.

6 minutes ago, K.C. said:

Twitter is the worst for me so I’m going to actually try to look at it less

It's ROUGH out there.

Generally sites with Paywalls are BETTER, but... often far less active.

I usually dont believe it

Media or social media can be manipulative

I just look at the videos see what ridiculous things ppl say

There's an irony in how social media has made human beings more anti-social overall.

I have a rule about social media. If I'm consuming content instead of interacting with people, I need to not use that site. YouTube is the exception, though

On 2/4/2026 at 7:14 AM, perpetually said:

If I'm consuming content instead of interacting with people,

It's good you, probably inadvertently, attributed "content" to not interacting with people - because in reality, people online are not the same as people in real life... too many ulterior motives.

3 hours ago, Onision said:

It's good you, probably inadvertently, attributed "content" to not interacting with people - because in reality, people online are not the same as people in real life... too many ulterior motives.

I'm the same as I am irl, so I tend to assume (perhaps naively) that other people usually are too. I've been lucky, perhaps. I tend to stay in small groups and take real online friendships offline.

I suppose it's different in your position. Especially after having been betrayed. Much higher likelihood of malicious ulterior motives.