Impact of Social Media and Algorithms on Social Relationships and Adolescent Brain

The use of social media has led to people's preoccupation with follower count, causing unnecessary drama. The work of algorithms and machine learning has resulted in the outsourcing of social relationships to computers, which affects who we interact with and what content we see. This can be both helpful and concerning, especially for teens whose developing brains may be influenced by these algorithms. Studies have shown that social media activates the brain's reward system, leading to dopamine and oxytocin responses when receiving affirmation or attention.