The Algorithm Is Watching
What happens when the loudest voices online become the role models of tomorrow?
If you ask most parents, they’ll tell you they’re raising their children. But in a world of endless scrolling, personalised feeds and content designed to capture attention, Georgia Harrison is asking whether that’s still the full picture.
Through a new campaign focused on social media influence, online safety and the rise of the “manosphere”, Harrison is encouraging a wider conversation about who is shaping young people’s views on relationships, masculinity, success and respect. Not in classrooms. Not at home. But through the content appearing on their screens every day.
Social media platforms don’t simply show us content. They decide what to show us. The videos we watch, the posts we engage with and the creators we follow all feed algorithms designed to keep us online for longer. For young people, that can mean being repeatedly exposed to the same messages, opinions and personalities until they begin to feel normal.
The concern isn’t just what children are seeing. It’s what they are learning.
Part of Harrison’s campaign focuses on the growing influence of online personalities who profit from controversy. The formula is often simple: outrage creates engagement, engagement creates visibility, and visibility creates revenue. The more attention a creator can generate, the more valuable they become to the platforms hosting them. In that environment, the most influential voices are not always the most informed, responsible or representative.
For years, conversations about children and technology focused on how much time young people were spending online. Today, the debate feels different. The question is no longer simply how long children spend on social media, but what reaches them while they’re there.
Parents, teachers, campaigners and researchers are increasingly asking what happens when algorithms become some of the most powerful educators in a young person’s life. Who is setting the standards young people compare themselves against? Who is teaching them about relationships? Who is shaping their understanding of gender, success, power and respect?
Georgia Harrison isn’t claiming to have all the answers. What she is doing is creating space for a conversation that many people feel is overdue. How much responsibility should social media platforms carry? What role should parents and schools play? How do we encourage critical thinking in an age of constant content? And perhaps most importantly, who benefits when harmful messages are amplified to millions of young people?
As part of the campaign, Harrison is inviting parents, teachers, young people and professionals to share their experiences and perspectives. If this is a conversation that resonates with you, or if you’ve seen first-hand how online content is shaping the attitudes, beliefs or behaviours of young people, she is encouraging people to get in touch via the email address shared in her campaign posts.
At M.Y.H, we’re interested in the stories, systems and cultural forces that shape people’s lives. Whether we’re talking about the justice system, healthcare, education or social media, systems influence how people understand themselves and the world around them. Algorithms may be invisible, but their impact isn’t.
The conversations happening online today will help shape the attitudes, beliefs and behaviours of tomorrow. That’s why this debate matters. Not because technology is inherently good or bad, but because the values we promote, challenge and reward have consequences far beyond our screens. The next generation is watching.The question is: what are we showing them?
If you have a perspective to share, a story to tell, or an experience that could inform the conversation, consider reaching out to Georgia via email here: team@georgiaharrisonfoundation.com. After all, meaningful change starts with people being willing to speak up.
