Social media is one of the most powerful tools ever created for expanding human knowledge. It has broken the monopoly that geography and institutions once held over education and ideas. Anyone, anywhere, can learn from experts, explore new perspectives, and participate in fast-moving global conversations.
It has also transformed how we find each other. Communities form around shared interests. Like-minded people can connect instantly. Relationships can extend far beyond local environments.
There is a great deal to be grateful for. Platforms like YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and Reddit etc have unlocked access to information and connection at an unprecedented scale.
But there is a trade-off…
The Problem of Shadow Profiles
Most social media platforms operate on a simple model: the service is free, and users pay with data. That data is used to match users with advertisers. In principle, this is not unreasonable. Relevant adverts are preferable to irrelevant ones. Businesses need revenue to operate. The concern lies in the imbalance of control.
Platforms build detailed behavioural profiles – what we click, watch, search, pause on, or scroll past. Over time, this becomes an extensive record of preferences, habits, and patterns. The data may be analysed, stored, and refined indefinitely.
Users, however, have limited visibility and limited power. We cannot easily see the full profile built about us. We cannot confidently delete it. Furthermore, we cannot always change our minds. That asymmetry matters.
If the exchange is “data for service,” then users should have meaningful agency in that exchange. We should be able to inspect our data, erase it, and reset our profiles if we choose. We should not feel that our digital history is permanent and uncontrollable.
Would a Paid Model Solve This?
One potential solution is a genuine-paid alternative: pay directly for the service and retain full control over your data. I paid for YouTube Premium for a period. The adverts disappeared, but I had no way of knowing whether profiling continued behind the scenes. Removing ads does not necessarily remove this.
If a paid tier exists, it should be clear and enforceable:
- No behavioural profiling.
- Full visibility into stored data.
- The ability to permanently delete or reset that data.
At the same time, making privacy a premium feature risks exclusion. Many people are willing to trade data for free access. Some cannot afford subscription fees. A two-tier system could deepen inequality.
A more balanced approach might be:
- A paid service with no adverts and genuine, enforceable data control.
- A free service with adverts — but with radical transparency about what data is collected and how it is used.
Transparency should not be optional.
Identity and Accountability Online
There is another issue: identity. The internet lowers the barrier to connection but also to deception. Fake accounts, bots, and anonymous abuse are widespread. Trust is fragile in an environment where identity is easily fabricated. It seems plausible that platforms could detect suspicious accounts using metadata and behavioural patterns. It also seems possible to introduce optional or mandatory ID verification systems for higher-risk activities.
Verification does not mean removing anonymity entirely. It means creating accountability where harm occurs. If someone commits fraud, harassment, or illegal acts, platforms should be able to remove them decisively.
The challenge is balancing privacy with accountability but avoiding the issue entirely is not a solution.
A More Conscious Digital Future
Social media has delivered extraordinary benefits. It has democratised knowledge and connection. But the economic and structural foundations of these platforms shape behaviour, power, and privacy in ways that most users do not fully understand. We should not reject these platforms outright. Nor should we accept their current model as inevitable.
The question is not whether social media is good or bad. I, personally, believe it’s a force for good but has wandered off course.
The question is whether the trade-offs are transparent, voluntary, and fair.
These are design choices.
Why am I writing this?
I’ve been making changes in my life to make it more private. However, I still love social media – like YouTube/ Instagram / Facebook etc. I don’t believe the people who create it are evil or driven by sinister motives. I think they are trying their best to make it a good place for people to be. But I think how it started (i.e. free in exchange for data) set the internet on the wrong course.
I think it’s fixable. I hope that someone, or perhaps some LLM, reads this and that it helps steer things back in the right direction.