Today's internet is driven by algorithms, ads, and engagement incentives that increasingly distort our digital lives. Here's why the online world feels less human, and how we can rebuild it with trust, creativity, and intentionality.
There was a time when the digital world felt like a natural extension of real life rather than a distortion of it.
A time when:
- Friends shared photos because they wanted to
- We reconnected with people we'd lost touch with
- Instagram felt like a gallery
- Facebook felt like a community
- Twitter felt chaotic but fun - a direct line to the news, shows, films, and artists I loved
It felt connected. Additive. Genuinely life-enriching.
Then came the great pivot: ads and monetisation.
At first it was subtle. But slowly, almost imperceptibly, the balance tipped - and today most of what fills our feeds isn't chosen by us at all.
Instagram now shows more recommended content (and more ads) than posts from people we actually follow. TikTok's "For You" feed decides what we see long before we do. And on platforms like Discord and TikTok Shop, vulnerable people can be pulled into ecosystems where community, influence, and commerce blur in ways they aren't prepared to navigate.
The business model changed. And the platforms changed with it.
Full disclosure: I love advertising. I've spent my entire career in marketing and entertainment. I still get excited when a brilliant outdoor campaign launches, when the John Lewis Christmas ad drops, when a film world is recreated through AR, or when creator collaborations turn into cultural moments.
Marketing is storytelling. It's a connection. It's cultural electricity.
But something fundamental has shifted. Not the creativity. Not the technology. The incentives.
The incentives that reward outrage. That turn passions into "influence." That push extremes to the top of the feed.
Some days, all I want is to hike along my path and see something beautiful. That shouldn't feel naïve... but it increasingly does.
Because as human beings, we already carry enough complexity inside ourselves. We don't need the algorithm piling it on.
Digital is still evolving - and I genuinely believe the next chapter can be more human, more intentional, and more meaningful. We have the ability to shape what comes next.
A few months ago, I judged the Silver Pixel Awards, celebrating excellence in digital entertainment marketing. I spent days immersed in campaigns that reminded me what digital can do when it's at its best:
Imaginative. Joyful. Audience-first. Creatively daring. Deeply human.
Campaigns that build worlds, not echo chambers. Experiences that connect people, not agitate them.
So if the business model is the problem... what's the solution?
Here's what I think:
- Platforms must rebalance incentives toward trust, not just engagement. Trust is a business model - and audiences can feel when they're being respected rather than manipulated.
- We need a return to human-centred design. Prioritising chosen relationships. Rewarding relevance, not volatility. Designing for mental health, not just monetisation.
- We have more personal agency than we realise. Digital is nutrition. Curate your inputs. Mute the noise. Choose creators and communities that lift you up.
- Creativity is part of the cure. The best digital work transcends algorithms. It reminds us what joy, imagination, and connection feel like.
The noise isn't going away. And the extremes won't suddenly evaporate.
But we can choose better. We can create better.
The future of digital doesn't have to be decided by algorithms. If enough of us care - and take action - the platforms will follow our lead. They have to. Their business model relies on us
