Due to algorithms that prioritize trending and user-preference-based content, negative and sensational drama-related posts are flooding social media platforms, while healthy, constructive content struggles to gain visibility.

Every morning, Hoang Linh from Ho Chi Minh City logs into social media to check her favorite topics like finance and marketing. But instead of the content she expects, her feed is now overwhelmed with updates about the drama between ViruSs and Ngoc Kem.

"I can't find any of the content I used to follow. Personal relationship gossip about ViruSs keeps showing up on my feed, even though I have no interest in it. It's utterly pointless and annoying," Linh vented.

Nguyen Hoang has faced a similar issue. Despite often watching cooking videos on Facebook Reels, his feed is now flooded with endless replays of ViruSs's livestreams.

"It's baffling. I don't follow any of this drama, I’ve never watched his livestreams because I find them meaningless, yet they keep appearing. Meanwhile, all the useful content I need is nowhere to be found. It's just toxic content I never asked for," he said.

TikTok shows the same pattern, with drama-related videos dominating the search suggestions and recommended content. Users feel overwhelmed by "dirty" content replacing the wholesome videos they actually follow.

Vo Quoc Hung, Chief Growth Officer at Tonkin Media, explained that this trend is driven by the platforms’ algorithms. These systems favor controversial, highly interactive, or trending content.

For example, when ViruSs’s livestream reached over 1.6 million views, clips from it were quickly cut and shared across groups and fanpages. The platform's algorithm interpreted this as highly engaging content and automatically pushed it onto users' feeds - regardless of their preferences.

Additionally, the algorithm operates on perceived relevance. If a user unintentionally clicks on a drama video, the system logs this as interest and continues to recommend similar content.

The same applies when friends interact with such content. If a user's contacts are engaging with a drama post, the system infers that the user might also be interested and begins suggesting it more frequently.

Another factor is the collective interests of the online community at a given time. When a drama goes viral, platforms prioritize it in recommendations.

Because these platforms rely heavily on advertising revenue, they aim to maximize user engagement. Drama, with its addictive nature, becomes a tool to keep users hooked.

Nguyen Duy Vi, CEO of Buzi Agency, emphasized that Facebook's algorithm prioritizes "hot" content with high engagement. Once a topic becomes popular, the platform continues to amplify it, helping content creators ride the trend for more views.

Digital marketing expert Nhan Nguyen added that the platforms’ main objective is to keep users online for longer periods. If users interact with a particular type of content - even briefly - the system will persist in recommending similar videos.

In reality, social media dramas are becoming increasingly prevalent, with toxic content appearing more frequently. From false advertising to manipulative media strategies, these dramas often involve KOLs, KOCs, and celebrities, drawing significant attention from young audiences.

Experts warn that this shift in content trends could lead to serious consequences in the future.

Le My