Macho posturing, online harassment, fake news, and growing social disconnection. Why are we still posting videos on social media?
Welcome to the modern-day Wild West—except here, it’s all dressed up in hashtags and high engagement rates. A space where “open dialogue” often means shouting matches, and “community” can feel more like a battlefield. Social media was supposed to bring us closer together. Instead, it’s amplified our worst instincts and tapped directly into our collective anxiety. The promise of connection has, for many, turned into a bitter dose of disillusionment.
For both individuals and companies, it raises a tough—but necessary—question: does it still make sense to be here? Or is it time to step back and rethink our presence altogether?
Let’s be clear: the point isn’t to blame or moralize. This article isn’t here to point fingers. What we want is to open up a conversation—and ask the questions that matter. Because when hypermasculine influencers dominate the feed, when harassment becomes routine, when fake news gets more reach than verified facts, and when online spaces begin to erode our sense of self… we have to stop and ask:
Are these platforms still aligned with our values?
And perhaps more importantly:
Are they good for our mental health?
Testosterone overload and steroid-boosted content
For the past few years, online platforms have become the perfect breeding ground for a new wave of hyper-aggressive masculinity. Laughable male characters have found massive audiences by spreading content that’s openly sexist, violent, and unapologetically misogynistic, often toeing the line of hate speech.
Unbelievable? And yet, these messages don’t just circulate, they thrive. Not by accident, but by design. Algorithms don’t push them because they’re right or responsible, but because they work: they generate clicks, reach, engagement, and sky-high conversion rates. Outrage fuels interaction—and interaction means revenue. The platforms know it, and they capitalize on it.
Harassment has become systemic. It’s no longer limited to celebrities or public figures. Anyone can find themselves targeted—whether it’s doxing, blackmail (including “sextortion” or revenge porn), or simply a wave of online hate.
Meanwhile, content moderation is slow, mostly automated, and often ineffective. The impact, on the other hand, is immediate and brutal. One controversy can be enough to destroy a reputation—or worse. There are countless stories of teenagers pushed to the edge after private videos are leaked online. These are not isolated incidents. They’re the dark undercurrent of a broken system.
And all the while, the platforms keep racking up views—and profits.
For businesses, this raises a very real concern: what does it say about your brand when your content appears right next to hate speech or violent rhetoric? Can you credibly promote values like inclusion, empathy, and mental well-being while (even passively) contributing to this toxic ecosystem?
That question is becoming harder to ignore, especially for companies striving to align their communication strategies with their core ethical values.
Fake News, Deepfakes, and the Ethics of Video Content Online
Social media runs on one currency: attention. As Patrick Le Lay (then CEO of French TV network TF1) bluntly put it back in 2004, what these platforms really sell to advertisers is “available human brain time.” And what grabs attention better than sensationalist, inflammatory content—especially when delivered through video, by far the most engaging and addictive format in the digital arsenal?
No surprise, then, that fake news has exploded in recent years. It’s built for virality. Deepfakes—AI-generated, hyper-realistic videos—are flooding in. Conspiracy theories thrive. From the Cambridge Analytica scandal to the ever-expanding network of misinformation outlets, the evidence is overwhelming: these platforms are anything but neutral.
Worse still, their policies can change overnight. One day, your content is promoted; the next, it’s shadowbanned. Algorithm updates are constant—and often opaque. For companies trying to build a “trusted brand” online, it’s like playing a game where the rules change halfway through and no one tells you how.
And yet… here we are. Still present, still investing. Why? Because as flawed as these platforms are, their ability to reach audiences at scale remains unmatched. Beyond habit or convenience, this is the real reason brands haven’t pulled the plug: they still work.
Let’s not kid ourselves: these platforms aren’t designed to inform or entertain us. They’re engineered to keep us locked in—to exploit our impulses, our fears, our need for connection. This is captology in action: the science of digital addiction. And the research is piling up. Excessive social media use is now linked to decreased attention spans, mental fatigue, sleep disruption, and a growing sense of isolation. For younger users, the effects are even more worrying: heightened anxiety, toxic self-comparisons, and a pervasive sense of not being enough.
So yes, the picture is bleak. And no, the stakes aren’t just theoretical.
But here’s the hard truth for most of us: taking a clear stance isn’t easy. The issues are complex, and economics often trumps ethics—understandably so. As businesses, we have to be pragmatic.
So now that we’ve mapped out the darker side of the playing field… let’s shift gears. Let’s get practical:
Creating video content in 2025 : strategy first, platform second!
Visibility is expensive. How much are you willing to pay ?
Let’s be honest.
Most companies are on social media because… well, most companies have to be on social media. That’s what we’ve all been told. So we do it. But what are we actually doing there? What are we really getting out of it?
Inactive accounts, empty LinkedIn pages, tweets no one reads or engages with. We’re there because we’re supposed to be—not because it’s truly working for us. And in return? A bit of organic reach, a few likes, the occasional comment… and a whole lot of wasted energy.
If you want your social media videos to actually deliver results that justify the time and money you’re putting into it, you need:
- A strategy that aligns with your real business goals
- A well-structured content calendar
- A creative partner (a video studio, an agency…) or an in-house team that can handle copy, visuals, and video
- Platform-specific formats—what works on LinkedIn won’t work on TikTok
- Constant algorithm monitoring (because the rules change all the time)
Yes, that’s a significant time investment. But it’s also the price of doing things properly. And if you’re putting in the effort with a clear, strategic foundation, those resources should translate into real, measurable outcomes.
After all, there’s a reason social media has taken up such a massive share of the media landscape in just a few years. The tools these platforms offer to reach your audience are powerful. No question there.
But here’s the catch: organic reach is often minimal—especially on Meta platforms, which took a sharp turn post-COVID. So if you have serious distribution goals, chances are you’ll need to put some budget behind it.
Because in 2025, if you want visibility, you’ll probably have to pay for it.
Less noise, more impact : the case for strategic social media
One challenge we all face—far too often—is the lack of time. And yet, time is the critical variable that shapes the quality of our work and, ultimately, the results we produce. Rethinking our relationship with time isn’t just a matter of productivity; it’s a cultural shift that defines our era. Just look at the growing appeal of slow working.
Too often, we confuse efficiency with performance, and performance with quality. In increasingly lean, over-optimized teams, long-term thinking tends to get buried under the pressure of short-term targets. But here’s the paradox: taking the time to build a clear, well-structured plan aligned with specific marketing goals is still the fastest way to get real results. That’s what strategy is all about.
To define that strategy, you’ll need to ask the right questions—and take the time to answer them with care.
Why do you want to produce a video?
What are your goals? What impact are you hoping to make?
Don’t just settle for surface-level marketing objectives like brand awareness, engagement, or lead generation. Go deeper. The more specific your goals, the more focused your execution can be. That means tightening your targeting as much as possible.
Who exactly are you speaking to?
What audience are you trying to reach—and why?
Depending on your target, some platforms will naturally become more relevant than others, simply based on your audience’s consumption habits. Once you’ve clearly defined your audience, you’ll also be able to determine which platform is ideal for distribution, and what kind of format or video style will best resonate with them.
What is your message?
How do you want it to be perceived? What tone should it carry?
When you’ve taken the time to explore these questions from every angle—when you’re confident that your plan is strategically aligned with your real business goals—then you can move into production. And more often than not, the results will reflect the thought and time you’ve invested.
Because if there’s one equation we’ve seen work time and again, it’s this:
Smart strategy = Scalable results.
To dive deeper -> 12 must-ask questions to power up your video communication strategy
Exploring the alternatives
Whether you choose to step away from social media entirely or simply scale back your presence, a wide range of alternative solutions is available to you.
- Platforms like Mastodon, PeerTube, or Signal provide more human-scaled, decentralized models of interaction
- And let’s not forget the “old school” methods (some of which have unfairly fallen out of fashion in recent months): newsletters, blogs, organic SEO… These are still solid pillars of any sustainable communication strategy and should never be overlooked.
Once again, it all comes down to how we manage our time.
Diversifying your channels and touchpoints takes more effort than relying on a single, one-size-fits-all platform. And of course, these tools need to be part of a broader vision—a well-defined strategy—if you want them to deliver real results.
But here’s what they do offer: the opportunity to build an audience that’s not just passive but genuinely engaged. One that values quality over volume.
And that’s where real, long-term value lives: in content that informs, empowers, and builds lasting relationships.
Conclusion
More often than not, the real question isn’t “Should we stay on social media?”
It’s “How can we still show up there in a way that feels aligned with our values?”
Every company has to find its own path—based on its goals, its identity, and its specific context.
Some will choose to keep playing by the rules of a game that’s clearly rigged… but undeniably effective.
Others will decide to walk away—losing visibility, perhaps, but gaining the peace of mind that comes with no longer fueling a toxic system.
And then there’s the middle ground: a partial exit, a measured shift toward a more conscious presence—balancing business as usual with ethical responsibility.
It’s a strategic decision.
But also a moral one. And a political one.
So… what if we actually did press the red button? Get in touch to discuss how we can help!