Red flag or normal behaviour? How social media is making your relationships seem worse than they are

From “divorce him” to “your parents are toxic”, social media is full of content that can sour how we see relationships. Assoc Prof Patrick Williams, who teaches sociology at NTU and specialises in digital media and online youth subcultures, sheds some light on how social media algorithms bring negativity into your feed. “On one hand, social media brings people together, but on the other, it can be very 'Me'-oriented,” Assoc Prof Williams said. “You have a lot of choice on the platforms. You can participate in whatever you want, and whatever you don’t want, you just ignore or unfollow. It centres you, your feelings, reactions, and interests.” When coupled with how algorithms work – sorting through massive amounts of content to prioritise what keeps users engaged – social media becomes a highly personalised feed that continuously adapts to you, he added.

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