Explain · Like I'm five version
Social media algorithms in terms of a nosy neighbour with binoculars
Social media algorithms are just like a nosy neighbour who watches you through the curtains all day long.
The neighbour sits by the window with a pair of binoculars and stares at everything you do in your garden. The algorithm does the exact same thing when you tap on your tablet. It watches which videos you like and which pictures you pause on for a long time. It keeps a secret notepad in its pocket to write down your favourite colours and your favourite snacks. Then it uses that notepad to decide exactly what to show you next.
When you go to the shops, the neighbour follows you to see what you buy. The algorithm follows you around the internet too. It remembers that you looked at a pair of blue wellies or a book about space. It tells the shops to put those things right in front of your eyes the next time you look at your screen. It is trying very hard to guess what will make you smile or what will keep you watching for a little bit longer.
The neighbour shares all your business with the rest of the street. The algorithm is the same because it tells other websites what you like to do. It wants to make sure you stay in your garden and keep looking through your screen instead of going to play with your friends. It is a very busy neighbour who never goes to sleep.
Where the analogy breaks downThe neighbour is a human person, whereas the algorithm is just a set of maths rules that does not actually have eyes or feelings.