# Social Media Algorithms Are Designed to Maximize Engagement Social media platforms make money primarily through advertising, and so the more time users spend on the platform, the more ads can be shown, the more money the platform makes. Algorithms are therefore tuned to maximize the time users spend on the platform. ![[Making Sense of Social Media#^nn10k0]] As a result, social media posts that spark emotional reactions are prioritized, because they cause users to engage more with the platform (likes, comments, shares, etc.). ![[Why the Past 10 Years of American Life Have Been Uniquely Stupid#^czgwn6]]