Social Media Algorithms Are Raising a Generation of Permanent Children

The real dystopia is the stalling of young people's transition from their teenage years, when they're impulsive, to adulthood;

Nick Kossovan ——Bio and Archives--March 6, 2026

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Today, social media platforms use algorithms to create algorithmic feeds, replacing the simple chronological timeline they once used, to guide users to where their attention can be monetized, eyeballs to ads. When scrolling through your social media feeds or even surfing the Internet, it's not a stretch to say, "The algorithm guided me here."

Although algorithms undeniably offer social media companies significant business benefits by personalizing feeds based on individuals' internet search and browsing histories, their fundamental consequence—whether intentional or not—is the creation of echo chambers that eliminate friction.

It's this erasure of friction that has social media algorithms raising a generation of permanent children.

A child believes their emotions are facts. If they're angry, the world is wrong. If they're scared, the world must be dangerous. When they want ice cream, you either give it to them or you're a baddie. Until recently, the way we, as was certainly true for me, transitioned from childhood to adulthood was to be repeatedly knocked down until we realized we weren't the centre of the universe.

Because algorithms are perpetually catering to our desires, they reinforce a childlike view that you deserve whatever........

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