Social media has transformed the way we connect, share, and consume content. It promises creativity, inspiration, and the democratization of influence. But in Africa, an unsettling pattern is emerging, one that demands a critical conversation.

Across platforms, certain “heroes” or influencers garner immense attention, not necessarily for skill, insight, or innovation, but for content that is oversexualized, shamelessness, or blatantly provocative. The algorithms that dictate what trends, often amplify these forms of content, creating the illusion that this is what audiences naturally crave. Yet, this may not be organic. Instead, it seems as though platforms themselves are engineering taste, guiding users toward a narrow and, in many ways, degenerate set of values.

The consequences are far from trivial. Young people, in formative stages of understanding themselves and the world, are being shown that shamelessness and sensationalism are profitable and as a result, they now aspire towards it. This framing risks normalizing values that undermine dignity, self-respect, and intellectual ambition.

This is not merely an individual problem. It is systemic. Social media platforms, with their unparalleled reach and influence, bear responsibility for the environments they nurture. Encouraging content that prizes shock over substance, or framing shameful acts as pathways to success, has societal repercussions. African audiences, particularly the younger generation, deserve platforms that inspire, not degrade. Platforms that celebrate creativity, innovation and thought leadership not shamelessness and decadence.

As Africa’s digital landscape expands, the question becomes urgent: Who are we teaching a generation to admire? And what does it say about the society we are shaping if the answer is fame at any cost?

The business of attention should not come at the expense of ethical responsibility. Algorithms should be tuned not only for engagement but for societal impact. It is time for a  critical reflection, for influencers, for audiences, and crucially, for the platforms themselves. Social media in Africa should not encourage societal decline rather it should aspire to elevate it.