A veteran social media creator warns that AI-powered automation tools are destroying the human element of online interaction. The author, who runs a 200k+ subscriber newsletter and podcast, describes discovering services that generate LinkedIn and Twitter content by mimicking users' voices and experiences. These tools promise to handle posting, commenting, and engagement without human involvement.

This represents a troubling shift from social media's original purpose as authentic human connection. The writer argues that the rush to automate content creation and engagement metrics has transformed platforms into toxic rage bait machines. Major social networks appear content with this evolution, prioritizing interaction over meaningful information exchange.

Drawing from decades of experience since 2004, the author urges creators to resist automation and maintain genuine presence online. They advocate calling out obvious bot behavior and rejecting pressure to produce content at the expense of mental health. The piece concludes with a powerful analogy: just as actors don't send body doubles to interviews, creators shouldn't deploy virtual doubles to post on their behalf. Authenticity, the writer argues, means showing vulnerability and being present only when genuinely available.