People
People arrive with ordinary goals: to connect, learn, laugh, stay informed, belong or organise.
They bring real needs into an environment designed by other actors.
Inside the attention system
Why social media feels genuinely useful
Start with the human side of the paradox: people use social media to coordinate scattered lives, maintain weak ties, find communities, and reach support or opportunity.
Scattered life, need for connection
Daily life is spread across places, schedules, work, school, family and distant relationships.
When people are scattered, the need for connection, coordination and not missing out becomes stronger.
Everyone is here
When friends, customers, communities and public life are all inside the app, leaving feels costly.
People and organisations can feel stuck because opting out may mean losing access to social or economic life.
Businesses need reach
Businesses, causes and independent workers need to reach the people they serve.
When customers are already inside the app, advertising or posting there can feel necessary rather than optional.
Social media app
The app is the hub where human needs, business pressure, creators, advertisers and public rules meet.
It can provide connection and coordination, while also carrying loops that make leaving difficult and more use profitable.
Sources
- 2x more effective than close friends at opening a door to a new employer. Rajkumar et al., Science, 2022
- 44% online of LGBTQ+ young people felt very safe expressing who they were, compared with 9% in person. Born This Way Foundation & Hopelab, 2025
- 68% online of LGBTQ+ young people found affirming spaces, compared with 40% at home and 20% at community events. The Trevor Project, 2024