What's the big deal with social media?

The Big Deal

Many people think social media simply reflects what you like, follow, or engage with. That idea is not just incomplete — it’s dangerously misleading. Social media does more than mirror behavior; it systematically reshapes your mind, impulses, and desires in ways that work against your spiritual and moral goals.

Psychologically, neurologically, and spiritually, mainstream platforms are engineered to weaken self-control and create a split between who you want to be and who the algorithm trains you to become.

Here is what we found in the research:

Digital Dissociation
A hidden online self is formed, constantly shaped by what you see and do — often without your awareness (Turkle, 2011).

Online–Offline Self Split
A growing divide forms between digital behavior and real-world beliefs, as online disinhibition challenges moral and spiritual direction (Suler, 2004; Meshi, Elizarova, Bender, & Verdejo-Garcia, 2020).

Dual Persona Conflict — a growing gap between online impulses and offline intentions (Bargh & McKenna, 2004).

Each of these points would seem to resemble what the Word calls "double minded'(James 4:8, NKJV)

Across neuroscience, psychology, and behavioral economics, the evidence is clear: social media does not simply reflect behavior — it intentionally alters it for engagement and profit. It's no mystery that …‘the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil’ (1 Tim. 6:10, NKJV). This is further evidence.

The Algorithms Create a Person Driven by Impulse, Not Conviction

Modern platforms track two categories of behavior:

• Conscious, chosen interests
  

• Unconscious hesitations, impulses, and temptations
  
  

Even very short pause signals a “micro-engagement,” and research shows these micro-pauses reveal more about what draws your attention than likes or comments ever could (Epstein, Peysakhovich, & Eckles, 2022).

The algorithm then feeds:

• Content that triggers desire
  

• Content that sparks comparison and insecurity
  

• Content that stimulates sexual curiosity
  

• Content that generates emotional reactivity
  
  

Psychologists note that social media is “the largest identity-shaping environment ever created” (Twenge, 2017, p. 55).

Spiritually, this mirrors Scripture:
“The flesh lusts against the Spirit…” — Galatians 5:17 (NKJV)

Platforms are built to amplify the flesh — not the Spirit.

“For all that is in the world- the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life -is not of the Father..”(1 John 2:16, NKJV)

The Real Hook

Neuroscience research now shows:

• Social media triggers reward pathways similar to gambling and addictive substances (Meshi et al., 2020; Montag, Lachmann, Herrlich, & Zweig, 2019).
  

• Visual cues like likes and notifications reduce executive control and activate reward circuits (Turel, He, Xue, Xiao, & Bechara, 2014).
  

• Problematic Instagram use activates brain reward regions in response to Instagram-themed risky behavior cues (Nasser et al., 2020).
  
  

These are not metaphors — they are measurable brain effects.

Sexual Content — One of the Most Powerful Drivers

Politics and outrage engage people, but sexual content dominates algorithmic amplification. Investigative reporting shows:

• Instagram pushes increasingly sexual content to accounts following minors, even when they follow only preteen influencers (Wells & Seetharaman, 2021).
  

• Meta’s algorithms systematically amplify harmful content for teen accounts (Horwitz, 2023).
  

• Sexualized content produces higher engagement, and algorithms reward and promote it accordingly (Palawat, Charan, Kaur, & Pareek, 2023), demonstrating measurable behavioral impacts across user populations.
  
  

Logically: if suggestive content is addictive and profitable, the algorithm will favor it. These systems are designed to capture attention, not cultivate holiness.

The Psychological and Spiritual Consequences

Social Media Sexualized Content Mimics Pornography Addiction

Research shows that exposure to sexualized imagery on social media produces effects strikingly similar to those documented in pornography addiction:

The brain responds to sexually suggestive social media content the same way it responds to pornography—reward pathways, craving cycles, and compulsive behavior are engaged, escalating over time.

Teens and adults now encounter more sexualized content in a week than previous generations saw in years (American Psychological Association [APA], 2021; Barna Group, 2022; Pew Research Center, 2023).

From Subtle to Overt — How Content Slips Past Your Guard

• Mild: sensual movement, body-focused angles
  
  

• Moderate: flirtation, sexual trends
  
  

• Severe: implied nudity, high-arousal content
  
  

Creators escalate suggestive content because the algorithm rewards escalation: sexual content → more views → more engagement → more revenue. The global pornography industry is a $100+ billion market for one reason: sexual content reliably captures attention. Mainstream platforms exploit this same mechanism.

“…the schemes of the devil.” (Ephesians 6:11, NKJV) Are meant to be subtle. Schemes and deceit are hidden by nature.

The flesh is drawn to what is tempting. The Spirit resists. Every click and scroll feeds the algorithm, and it profits from our weakness.

Social media surrounds people with little pressures all the time: moral choices, anger, comparison, and distractions. These pressures build up slowly, so most don’t notice — like frogs in water that’s slowly boiling. Over time, our self-control wears down.

We jumped out. If you’re reading this, you probably feel the heat too.

What This Means for Our Mission

We are called to build tools that cultivate purity, clarity, discipleship, and intentional Christian living — aligning with our mission: empowering faith, fostering community, and supporting charity through online platforms and software creations.

We cannot keep pouring energy into systems that are:

• Engineered to exploit temptation
  
  

• Designed to amplify the flesh
  
  

• Structured to fragment identity
  
  

• Built to weaken self-control
  
  

• Saturated with sexual content
  
  

“We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age…” — Ephesians 6:12 (NKJV)

Today, one of those powers is algorithmic influence. So we are stepping away.

Where We’re Going Instead

We’re turning our focus toward Christian platforms that strengthen believers instead of draining them. That’s why TechForJesus.cloud exists — a directory of Christian tools built to help believers grow without manipulation or moral erosion. That's where you can find Christ centered alternatives.

And specifically, we are moving toward Faithly:

• Built for connection, not addiction
  

• No manipulative algorithmic traps
  

• Designed for ministries, pastors, and discipleship

• A place free from noise, anger, and temptation
  
  

Every Believer Is a Ministry Leader

“We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors…” (2 Corinthians 5:20 NKJV)

Leadership is not about titles — it’s about representation. We invite you to join us on Faithly: a place to grow, encourage one another, and build a Christ-centered community free from the traps of mainstream platforms.