An American psychologist, B.F. Skinner (1904-1990), became famous for his invention, the “Skinner Box,” which he used to study behavioral conditioning in animals. In his experiments, Skinner placed rats inside a box equipped with mechanisms such as lights and levers. He programmed the box so that when a rat stood on a lever or pressed it at a certain time, the rat would receive either a reward in the form of a food pellet or, in other cases, a mild electric shock. The main purpose of these experiments was to understand behavior patterns, with implications for human behavior.

Skinner wrote a book titled Beyond Freedom and Dignity, where he detailed his worldview. His vision was to create a “behavioral utopia” in which all human actions are conditioned responses to certain stimuli, similar to the Skinner Box. For example, humans might do socially acceptable things to receive positive reinforcement and, conversely, would be punished if they violated norms.

According to Skinner, concepts like freedom and dignity are mere abstractions; they are metaphysical and not essential to social progress. He argued that “social engineers” could design a society that shapes people to behave as expected. This thought is relevant to us today because, consciously or not, we live in a world that resembles a modern-day “Skinner Box”—social media.

Social Media as a Means of Social Control

Social media is essentially a tool for social control. Every major platform—whether Facebook, Twitter, or Reddit—can be viewed as a giant “Skinner Box.” Initially, when these platforms were created, they offered an open, decentralized space where users could freely share almost anything. However, over time, the administrators of these platforms realized that they could play the role of social engineers, guiding user behavior.

On social media, controlling behavior actually requires minimal effort. The system tends to be self-regulating, and platforms can even make users influence each other in ways that reinforce desired behaviors. At a basic level, for instance, there is the feature of “banning” users. Not everyone has to be banned, just enough to create a chilling effect, causing others to avoid engaging in undesirable behavior.

The biggest privacy issue is not about the exposure of personal information but rather about the behavior data collected as metadata. Although those who collect this data might not know your specific identity, this metadata is still used to train artificial intelligence (AI), which can then be applied to influence cognition. With this data, platforms can find new ways to spread messages or trigger specific hashtags, or provide recommendations that direct our interactions.

The Impact on Focus and Deep Thinking

With all the information available at our fingertips, it has become increasingly difficult to “single-task” or focus solely on one activity. Tasks that require attention and deep contemplation are often disrupted by the urge to stay “connected.” A student, for example, might ask a friend to hide their phone or deactivate their Facebook account to concentrate on completing an assignment.

Sharing on social media has become the norm, and this is not inherently wrong. However, the problem is that the content shared tends to be shallow and distracts from more substantial, meaningful thought.

As social media and technology become more pervasive in society, especially among younger generations, this issue will only grow. Social norms that were once strict now become more relaxed, while the drive for contemplative thinking fades into the background.

A Technological Revolution Unlike Social Revolutions of the Past

While society often sees social media as a new tool for social change, those with deeper insight may understand that this technological revolution is not like past social revolutions. Personally, I enjoy social media for its ability to connect us with others quickly and easily, which fulfills the human need for companionship and understanding.

However, we must ask ourselves: How can the time we spend on social media translate into real-life impact? Why is this information available to me? What is the purpose of this image, story, or tweet that I come across?

Rather than merely using social media as an answer to every question that arises in daily interactions, it would be beneficial to treat it as a tool for reflecting on larger issues. Don’t let social media bury you under this newfound wealth of information without purpose. Critically question everything you see and don’t settle for limited knowledge; strive to explore the deeper meaning behind the surface-level interactions.

Note: Reposting old article from 08th August 2021