Monetisation Of Attention

Social media at present isn’t just a tool for communicating with close friends and family; it is a billion-dollar industry that rewards engagement and attention retention. In modern times, attention has become the biggest commodity. To retain the most amount of attention, both algorithms and “creators” work in tandem, yet many creators don’t realise they are trapped in a closed loop, acting as both the creator and the consumer while producing low-value content that does more harm than good.

The dollar exchange rate means that even a small, modest sum on these platforms translates into a substantial full-time earning in Nepal. Consequently, social media has become a space for armchair analysts to create strong, divisive opinions that drive engagement, which helps them cash in on big dollars. But when sensationalism is rewarded, authenticity and originality are compromised. Platforms like Facebook, which used to be for connecting and communicating with loved ones, have become environments that isolate people from their physical surroundings.

Nepali society is now too online; we are consuming more than ever. More than half of the population uses social media, making it the primary basis for information sharing. With the majority of people deriving their news and entertainment from Facebook and Instagram pages in bite-sized pieces, we are at the mercy of algorithms that shape our views. Constant, mindless consumption reduces deep thinking. Our productive capacity diminishes as a large part of our day goes towards reviewing and regurgitating the actions of others. We have reached a point where people feel they must "comment on the comments" of other people. This is a global epidemic; recently, in the USA, Meta and YouTube were found liable for creating products that led to harmful and addictive behaviour by young users. We need to realize the addictive nature of social media.

This doom scrolling on social media isn't just a phenomenon for young people in Nepal; it affects old and young alike. We are trapped in a void of AI content, repetitive posts, and overused memes, all done for the sake of monetisation. This raises a fundamental question: Why would anybody be interested in building, innovating, or solving real problems when trapping people in an information loop is rewarded more? Why focus on building things when an online presence saying you’ve built things is all that matters?

The price of this will be borne by Nepal as a whole, producing "consumer zombies" who do not engage in productive tasks but only in passive consumption. It will produce people with irrational, divisive opinions that impact social cohesion and harmony. The echo chambers on social media segregate people into narrow spaces, leaving them without rationality and the ability to provide space for other voices. As a result, the ability to engage in rational discourse diminishes.

This is not an argument against social media or its monetisation. These platforms have proven valuable in bridging the distances between families separated by the global migration of Nepalis. Social media has also provided alternative ways to be independent for people with backgrounds that don't fit traditional jobs. However, this serves as a reminder that a society should prioritise skills, innovation, and creation. Mindless consumption of materials designed to sensationalise and commodify attention can harm the very foundation of a healthy, productive society. A society that balances creation with mindful consumption is an ideal society.