Beyond the Follow: Authenticity
Much of our social media presence revolves around followers. Considerable weight and value are placed on the number of followers an individual or account has. However, the problem with this metric is the inability to truly authenticate these connections. Metrics such as likes, shares, reposts, and comments are used to gauge engagement, but none of these are valid indicators of truly authentic relationships between individuals, businesses, customers, artists, celebrities, and their respective fan bases. Beneath the surface, many social media companies have incorporated additional factors into their algorithms to help identify authenticity from an in-house perspective, which often influences the functioning of their advertising platforms. Outside of these advertising interests, we often don’t get access much less insight into these layers of information.
For general internet purposes, emails and email campaigns may provide even more detailed information regarding the relationships between individuals on the internet. In fact, emails and chats are perhaps the best sources of data for determining authenticity and authentic relationships. However, much of this data is not publicly available as the providers of these services typically are tight fisted with these layers of information.
Looking ahead, it's clear that followers will no longer be the sole measure of authenticity. Authenticity itself will become the benchmark. Authenticity, in this context, refers to the quality of being genuine, real, and true to oneself. It involves aligning one's actions, beliefs, and values with one's true inner self, without pretense or facade. Authentic individuals are transparent and honest in their interactions, expressing their thoughts, emotions, and intentions sincerely, which often leads to deeper connections and mutual understanding.
In the future, authenticity will likely be accurately measured through predictive data and our ability to leverage this data not only for selling purposes but also for engagement. One of the challenges of the digital world mirrors that of the physical world—authenticating relationships, connections, and qualifications. We often ask: Is someone truly who they claim to be? Can they deliver on their promises? What knowledge do they possess? We're now at a juncture, especially in the digital realm, where we can authenticate connections, relationships, and abilities even in private settings.
As we endeavor to refine our social interactions, it's imperative to transcend performance metrics such as followers and following. Instead, we must emphasize measures of authenticity. Factors such as genuineness, real identities, true self-identification, transparency, honesty, and sincere expression should be carefully considered and integrated into our digital and physical social engagements. Individuals, businesses, organizations, and communities must prioritize these aspects as we navigate an era marked by unprecedented access to information. Fortunately, with the assistance of artificial intelligence tools, we now possess the capability to sift through vast amounts of data to meet the needs of our communities, whether through personal connections or in the marketplace. Importantly, we are now positioned to do so authentically. Despite the looming threat of misinformation and the increasing difficulty in discerning digital media, I am optimistic that we can authenticate our interactions and relationships genuinely both in the physical and digital worlds.
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