How advice pollution on social media is shaping the way Gen Z seeks help

Masspersonal content and ragebaiting: Why the overwhelming stream of online guidance can heighten anxiety.

Everyone has advice online, but not all of it is worth taking.

You open your phone for a quick check, and suddenly, an hour has passed—swallowed by memes, reels, and stalking content creators offering guidance for problems we weren’t even thinking about. Many Filipinos, who spend a significant part of their day online, have become accustomed to this.

A 2023 study by Telenor Asia  found that 77% of Filipinos are more active on the internet than in person. According to the Global Digital Report 2025, the country’s most engaged users are between 18 and 24, a generation that grew up learning, socializing, and expressing themselves on screens.

While social media was originally designed to make communication easier, it is increasingly where young people now turn to for advice—whether navigating friendships, romantic relationships, academics, work pressure, or complicated family ties. Yet, the more we rely on the feed for comfort or guidance, the more we are exposed to an overwhelming stream of personal takes and unfiltered opinions—a mix that many now refer to as advice pollution.

The trap of the masspersonal feed

Part of what keeps us scrolling is how deeply these videos, reels, and threads feel relatable. Filipino social media culture thrives on #relate moments. The content feels intimate yet broadcasted, giving the impression that a creator is speaking directly to you while still appealing to millions of viewers at the same time—a phenomenon researchers call “masspersonal.”

To better understand this, radar speaks with Mr. Carl Lorenz Cervantes, a researcher, university lecturer, and registered psychologist known online as Sikodiwa. His work centers on spiritual and indigenous Filipino psychology.

Cervantes explains that platforms design certain content to emotionally engage users. “Most of the posts that hold your attention hit you at an emotional level, and the emotion that consistently drives engagement is, like it or not, anger,” Cervantes says.

On social media, for instance, relationship advice—which is the type of content that appeals most to young audiences—often comes in the form of ragebaiting posts, crafted to trigger strong emotions like frustration, jealousy, or insecurity.

However, each piece of advice reflects the creator’s personal, cultural, and professional lens, which may not align with the viewer’s reality. Consuming a constant stream of these differing viewpoints contributes directly to advice pollution and can heighten anxiety rather than provide clarity.

Professional Guidance vs. Social Media: Unlike social media posters, counselors and therapists provide guidance rooted in training, research, and established psychological frameworks, tailored specifically to the individual.

Cervantes emphasizes that if someone is seeking self-improvement or navigating a life challenge, it is better to “seek knowledge from people who have carefully studied the things you are interested in—scientists, researchers, teachers, advocates, and so on.”

The algorithm’s comfort trap

It’s easy to see why scrolling through advice-filled feeds can feel soothing at first. A quick tip can give a momentary sense of clarity or reassurance. But that comfort is often fleeting and exists within the system designed to generate revenue.

“Platforms want your attention, because this translates to more money for them through ad revenue,” said Cervantes. “They psychologically profile you so they can give you specific content tailored to your assumed preferences—we call this the ‘algorithm,’ or your ‘For You’ or ‘Discovery’ pages.’” Here, content like relationship advice and self-help excessively flourishes.

Creators are also subject to this pressure. Cervantes says, “I empathize with content creators because I understand the pressure it takes to keep churning out content… Most of them have become ‘products,’ no longer ‘people.’” Understanding this system allows users to step back and reclaim a sense of choice in how they engage with online content, reducing algorithm anxiety.

The loneliness loop and filtered selves

There is a growing crisis in building genuine connections in person, making it harder for people to open up and be vulnerable. Social media intensifies this problem:

• Social comparison online amplifies the pressure to present a polished, filtered self.
• Anxieties around cancel culture make sharing personal struggles feel risky.
• Hustle culture and responsibilities shrink opportunities for meaningful conversations.

Ironically, it is often the same social media platforms that contribute to these challenges that young people turn to for guidance. Feeling lonely and unsure where else to seek support, they are drawn to feeds that offer quick fixes.

With these factors in mind, Cervantes stresses that the only real way to break free from the cycle of endless scrolling is to put your phone down. “It’s simple, but it’s not easy, because digital life works much like a casino… The best thing you can do is step back, feel your feet on the ground, and notice your breath,” he says.

In a time when advice online is so excessive it becomes background noise, he adds, “Make time to check in with your friends and loved ones so you can realign your sanity.”

 

 

The more we rely on social media feeds for comfort or guidance, the more we are exposed to an overwhelming stream of personal takes and unfiltered opinions—a mix that many now refer to as advice pollution.

 

 

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