Stop Letting Platforms Hijack Your Eyeballs

Once upon a time, before today’s giant platforms, you had real control over what you saw online. You chose the blogs and writers you trusted, and they acted as a buffer between you and anything disturbing. There were trigger warnings, content labels, even plain old redactions. You had a chance to pause, decide if you wanted to engage, and keep your peace of mind intact. In short: you had both choice and control. And everyone was a whole lot less stressed out.

Facebook, Instagram, Threads, X, Bluesky, their business model is simple: harvest data, serve ads, maximize profit. Your attention is the product.

The catch? Platforms make more money the more upset, outraged, or rattled you are. So they strip away your control, hand the keys to algorithms, and push you toward content that will keep you scrolling, even when it hurts. That’s why when terrible events happen, you’re likely to get video shoved in your face before you can even look away.

And here’s the thing: even the professionals hired to moderate harmful content often develop long-term trauma. If it’s not good for them, it’s not good for you either.

It’s time to take your attention back.

Here’s the good news: every platform (though they hide it deep in settings) gives you the option to shut off video autoplay. Once you do, you get to choose when you hit play, and when you don’t.

You can still watch any video if you want to. But this one change keeps you from being ambushed by disturbing footage before you’re ready. It’s a small adjustment that can make a big difference in your mental health.

^{Table: The Conversation, CC-BY-ND + Source: Annie Margaret}

If a platform you use isn’t listed in the table, you can google “turn off autoplay (name of your platform)” for instructions. 

Let’s be clear: personally curating what you see is not censorship. Staying informed doesn’t require you to watch every brutal clip that surfaces. Protecting your mental health doesn’t mean you’re naive — it means you’re better equipped to respond thoughtfully when it matters.

The truth is, outrage burns energy fast. Redirecting that energy into improving your community, or simply caring for yourself, is always the smarter move.

This is what CybersecuriTea is about: removing overwhelm in favor of small, sustainable steps that leave you calmer, safer, and more in control.

So don’t let anyone talk you out of flipping that switch. Protecting your attention is protecting yourself.

CybersecuriTea is a free, plain-English guide to digital safety, designed for families, friends, and the folks you love. Subscribe today and get weekly tips to help keep your digital life secure.

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