Legal Literacy - There is one small incident that many people have been experiencing lately. While scrolling through social media, suddenly finding a video of a child speaking with sentences beyond their expected age. There are also cute animals with adorable expressions that feel so fitting. Reflexively, we laugh. It feels light and entertaining.
Then, as usual, we open the comments section.
And that's where everything changes.
“This is AI, isn't it.”
“Seems like it's generated.”
“Definitely AI.”
The amusement is still there, but the feeling immediately changes. There's a sense of annoyance, disappointment, and also a sadness that's hard to explain. Many people say, “Why do I get annoyed when I find out it's AI?” In fact, technically, there's nothing wrong.
And it turns out, many people experience that feeling.
Between Laughter and Suspicion: Social Media in the Age of AI
On social media, people are starting to be honest about this. Some say AI “ruins small happiness”. Some admit they are now too lazy to watch funny videos because it always ends up being AI. Some even say, “why do I now suspect everything adorable I see?”
That feeling then develops into a greater anxiety. Not just about one funny video, but about trust in anything we see on the screen. Some say the internet now feels “dead” because there is too much that is fake until even the real things are doubted.
Some people even admit to unlike content that was initially liked, only to be discovered as AI-generated. Not because the content is bad, but because there is a sense of disappointment. Gradually, the sense of wonder turns into doubt; admiration turns into skepticism.
Meanwhile, others choose to resign themselves: if it looks good, just enjoy it.
At this point, social media is no longer just a place for entertainment, but a space that is exhausting. We are not only required to enjoy content, but also to constantly guess: is this real or not? And when that doubt arises too often, what is lost is not just laughter, but also trust.
This is not about hating technology. This is about emotions that have been genuinely felt.
We laugh because we think it's real. We are amused because we feel it's spontaneous. Once we know it's all artificial, it feels like, "oh... okay." Not angry, but empty.
AI technology is now increasingly sophisticated. A baby's voice can be made natural. An animal's expressions can be manipulated to be cute. Even "funny coincidence" moments can be neatly designed. The problem is, all of that often comes without warning.
Ultimately, social media becomes an emotionally draining place. Not because the content is bad, but because we have to keep asking: is this real or AI? Even wanting to laugh feels half-hearted.
Ironically, precisely because of that, content that is truly authentic now feels valuable. A shaky video. A small child whose speech is garbled. A cute animal whose behavior is unkempt. Small things that may not go viral, but feel alive.
Perhaps this disappointment is not a sign that we are anti-technology. Rather, it is a sign that humans still need authenticity, still want to laugh without having to think, "is this the result of a machine or not?"
And perhaps, that is what we are now longing for on social media: feelings that are simple, honest, and real without having to be proven first in the comments section.
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