🎯 How the Algorithm Hooks You – Step by Step

1. It Learns Your First Click

• What happens: The moment you click, watch, or linger on a post/video, the algorithm records it.
• Why it feels harmless: You think, “I just clicked once, no big deal.”
• Reality: That one click tells the system, “Show me more like this.” It’s the first breadcrumb you drop.

2. It Tracks Every Second You Stay

• What happens: Your “watch time” is gold — 5 seconds, 10 seconds, 2 minutes — all logged.
• Why it feels harmless: You’re “just watching” without realizing that your time is a vote for more of that content.
• Reality: The longer you stay, the more it knows exactly what keeps you from leaving.

3. It Maps Your Likes & Shares

• What happens: Every like, heart, share, or comment adds a layer to your “profile.”
• Why it feels harmless: You’re just showing appreciation or passing something funny to a friend.
• Reality: You’re feeding the machine more clues about your humor, fears, beliefs, and moods.

4. It Shows You More of What Hooks You Emotionally

• What happens: The system prioritizes content that makes you feel — laugh, get mad, or get curious.
• Why it feels harmless: Emotional content feels “real” and engaging, so you lean in.
• Reality: Strong emotions keep you glued, and the algorithm doesn’t care if it’s healthy — only if it keeps you there.

5. It Gradually Narrows Your World

• What happens: Over time, it filters out anything outside your “engagement zone.”
• Why it feels harmless: You think your feed just “matches your interests.”
• Reality: You’re in a digital bubble, and that bubble shapes your reality — sometimes making it more extreme.

6. It Feeds You in Small, Endless Bites

• What happens: Short videos, quick memes, fast news — one after another.
• Why it feels harmless: Feels like harmless snacking, not a “meal” of real influence.
• Reality: Those small bites keep you grazing for hours, slowly shifting your habits, opinions, and attention span.

7. It Rewards You for Staying

• What happens: More likes on your posts, more notifications, more “you might like this” suggestions.
• Why it feels harmless: It feels like the app “cares” about you and your interests.
• Reality: Those rewards are like treats — keeping you loyal, even addicted, without you realizing it.

8. It Embeds Itself into Your Routine

• What happens: You open the app without thinking — morning, lunch, late at night.
• Why it feels harmless: It’s “just part of relaxing” or “killing time.”
• Reality: The algorithm now owns a chunk of your daily life — your habits, your focus, and even your mood.

Music and Content Copyrighted by Ray Walton