There’s a strategic choice:
Social media algorithms are engineered to prioritize high-engagement content, and nothing drives engagement like a human face. Humans are evolutionarily wired to process facial expressions faster than text, making video the ultimate medium for emotional contagion. Whether it is a "Karen" confrontation, a moment of unexpected kindness, or a humorous mishap, the visual focus remains the same: the person at the center.
: Mental health experts identify "parasocial stress" as the emotional strain from one-sided relationships where thousands of viewers project expectations onto a single, often unwilling, subject.