Masuk Free Press

Let’s face it, we can all agree the Instagram Reels algorithm is more often than not hilarious. Since August of 2020, Reels have been slowly carving out their own niche within the short-form video sector of the internet. Now the feature stands as one of, if not the only, true competitor to the social media giant TikTok. 

Though much of its comedic value can be attributed to the lack of overall moderation on the service, it is also the source of its biggest problem. People, especially those in younger demographics such as high school students, are being spoon-fed gore through Instagram’s algorithm. And what is even more concerning to me is that the people around us find it funny.

“I’ve seen a lot of car crashes, specifically ones where the cars are completely demolished and the body is spread across the road. I’ve seen brains spilled out. I’ve seen decapitated bodies. Plane crashes where the plane explodes,” said junior Andrew Oleyar.

I hate to sound like a Debbie Downer, but after watching a horrific car accident, your gut reaction should never be to crack a smile. It is a terribly concerning trend that these algorithms are actively promoting content that violates their terms of service en masse. This is not an isolated issue afterall, as nearly every person who has used Instagram Reels has witnessed videos like these. Even more concerning though, is users’ seeming apathy.

“I got one, where the caption was ‘these gender reveals are getting out of hand’,” said junior Nick Kauke. “Like a truck hits a car or something, and the blood splatters. And it looks pink.”

I know that, chances are, you reading this can remember having seen a car crash reel yourself at one point (that’s if you are lucky, as there is far worse to find). In fact, I believe that, chances are, you probably found that video comedic to some extent.

I want to preface, I don’t blame you. It’s not our generation’s fault that we have been so utterly desensitized to tragedy. It has been a symptom of the overreliance we have on social media for our entertainment. Platforms that host short-form video content such as TikTok or Instagram Reels incentivize shock value as a way to generate engagement. And it just so happens that the most shocking videos are also the ones that should leave us the most disturbed.

“The first couple times I definitely had a gut reaction. But, it’s kinda like every other video now,” said Oleyar.

But when it comes to fault, it would feel reductive to not place some on the platforms that host this type of content. For instance, TikTok, though having many negative traits, does not suffer the same trend of gore that plagues Reels. Meta is not adequately moderating their service, which leads to more people being exposed to this kind of content. What’s the point of having rules on your platform if they are not properly enforced?

“I only see that kind of stuff on Instagram Reels, cause Tik Tok obviously pretty strict about it,” said junior Tommy Warner.

Meta’s failures in moderation has led to some online criticism. The award-winning tech entrepreneurship website, DevX, stated in an article on their website:“Both experts and users are urging the company to address these problems [issues with moderation] and implement measures to safeguard minors from possible harm on the platform while maintaining a safe and enjoyable experience for all users.”

This phenomenon is even present beyond the content hosted on their Reels platform. The Instagram comment sections have been flooded for months by trolls spouting hatred and bigotry with no repercussions. Similarly to shock-centered videos, these comments often get engagement due to their controversial nature and are therefore picked up by the algorithm, then showcased to even more people.

“The comments are what makes Instagram Reels funny to me,” said Kauke.

But even if lacking online moderation is a cause of apathy amongst our generation, that does not mean we cannot treat the symptoms ourselves. We need to recognize that our indifference to violence and death is not normal. With self-awareness, we can move past the stage we are at now, of somehow finding humor in tragedy. We need to do better.

Though the description, and perhaps even the visual, of a severe motor vehicle accident in 480p may invoke the gut reaction of laughter, take a second and try to remember what you are laughing about. Especially before you tap on the share button so that others can join in, make sure what you are about to send is actually funny and not a product of desensitization.