How to fight back against SNARF (Stakes, Novelty, Anger, Retention, Fear) - By Luis Miguel L. Mercado

The internet now is different compared to before. As more and more users join the internet, it becomes a monopoly. The internet isn't the Wild West anymore and has since become a monopolized business. Whenever we search for something that ups our curiosity or intrigues us, instead of seeing the best results first, we see ads on the top results, which says a lot about what place the internet is in (Stein, 2024). 

Like all aspects of life, we navigate with caution, curiosity, and effort. I believe that should be applied to how we approach and surf the internet. We shouldn't let content without substance get the best of us and waste our time. We may not be able to avoid seeing these types of content on the internet, but we do have it in us to not engage with them and take accountability and have self-control. We shouldn't succumb to peer pressure and take in content that depends on getting a reaction out of us just to have a lot of engagements. Because continuing to consume these types of content will affect us negatively in the long run. 

Even if new platforms get developed to offer alternatives and block out content only meant for engagement and not something genuine, it's still up to us to decide on what we'll consume as an audience because we never know how those platforms may end up being in the long run. Content that exists for the sake of engagement won't exist when we as a majority of people don't engage with it. We need to break the cycle. 

Because if we don't do this, it will only continue and get worse over time, it will only create a space where money talks and take out the substance on the internet. 

After having all of these realizations, the way I navigate the internet changed for the better. I've become more cautious now whenever I engage with content, I make sure it really intrigues me first rather than scrolling mindlessly on my phone and wasting my time. 

Reference:

Stein, Y. (2024, August 13). The inevitability of internet monopolies. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/councils/forbestechcouncil/2024/03/21/the-inevitability-of-internet-monopolies/