u/Top_Indication_8420

Every platform now feels like:

* build your brand

* optimize engagement

* post consistently

* become a creator

I miss when people posted random thoughts, bad selfies, food pics, memes, and disappeared for a week without worrying about algorithms.

Now even normal conversations feel scripted for engagement.

Sometimes it feels like we’re all doing unpaid marketing work without realizing it.

Do you think social media genuinely changed people... or did algorithms slowly train everyone to behave this way?

I’ve been posting on the same TikTok account for almost 2 years. Around 48k followers right now. My videos weren’t viral every time, but they were stable. Usually somewhere between 80k–150k views with decent engagement.

Then literally last week everything just died.

Now my videos struggle to hit 500–800 views and most of them stop moving after like 30 minutes. Same content style, same upload times, same niche. Nothing changed on my side. It almost feels like my account got silently limited or something.

What’s weird is I made a fresh account just to test and the first 2 videos instantly got more reach than my main account has gotten all week.

Support just gives automated replies about “community guidelines” even though I don’t even have violations. No warning, no notification, nothing.

Anyone else dealing with older TikTok accounts suddenly getting buried while fresh accounts get pushed harder?

Years ago simple videos could still grow if the idea was interesting, but now audiences are used to high-quality editing, thumbnails, and pacing everywhere. Many small creators feel pressure to compete with near-professional production from day one. Do you think YouTube has become too demanding for new creators trying to stand out?

Instagram originally felt more personal, people sharing moments, interacting with friends, and posting casually. Now the platform feels heavily optimized around reels, reach, and content performance. Do you think Instagram has shifted too far from social interaction toward pure entertainment and attention chasing?

Years ago people usually focused on building a skill first and recognition came later. Now it sometimes feels like many people want visibility before expertise. Do you think social media has shifted priorities from mastering something to simply getting attention?

A huge part of how people judge creators comes from visible numbers. High followers instantly create trust and influence even before the content is viewed. If every platform permanently removed follower counts, do you think social media would become healthier and more authentic, or would people lose interest much faster?

I've been trying to step up my underwater video game with my GoPro HERO12. I've got the settings dialed in (4K, 60fps, 8:7 aspect ratio), but my footage still looks amateurish because it's so shaky.

Whenever I try to follow a turtle or a ray, my kicking motion makes the camera bob up and down. I see these amazing, smooth tracking shots on YouTube that look like they were shot on a drone. Are people using massive gimbals, or is there a specific swimming technique I'm missing? Any advice for getting smoother footage?