Rules of notice in social media

Historically, broadcast media followed a hierarchical model where a small elite group of wealthy producers shaped the public sphere and sent one-way communication to a much larger mass of receivers, often promoting views favorable to the status quo. By contrast, the structure implicit in internet architecture, and central to social media, promotes a decentralized, network-like model where the distinction between consumers and producers collapses. [1]

As a communication medium, social media possesses several defining technical characteristics. It’s digital, meaning information is numerically represented (in 0–1 code), making it "programmable, alterable, and subject to algorithmic manipulation."[2] It’s inherently networked, relying on two-way infrastructures such as the internet and mobile networks, unlike the one-way analogue infrastructures of previous broadcast media. This decentralized nature expands the user's element of choice immensely. Finally, it’s highly interactive, defined as a measure of the medium's "potential ability to let the user exert an influence on the context and/or form of the mediated communication." Social media interactions are typically hypermediated, using linkages or tags that change over time, allowing profiles and content to continually evolve.[3]

In this environment of massive content abundance and perpetual connectivity, communication is governed by implicit and explicit mechanisms—rules of notice—that determine which messages gain visibility, how meaning is conveyed and how attention is directed. Social media relies heavily on visual, auditory and video elements to convey meaning, establish identities and capture attention.

The role of visuals in status and self-presentation

Visual social media—primarily photographs and curated profiles—are critical sites for communication related to social standing and identity work, particularly among young users.

One major way meaning is communicated is through the visual presentation of social context and rewards. Across various platforms, social features such as "read receipts, online fares, and social reward reactions (e.g. likes or hearts) are always colourful and frequently animated when tapped," ensuring they "stand out within the minimalistic, usually backgrounded interface design."[4] These employ many of the same rules of notice used in other visual media: new content and social notifications are often marked by a brightly coloured dot, usually red, which is a "signal colour" used to guide users toward new content.[5] This use of colour in contrast to the typically monochrome interface "draws attention to the social context of content," visually communicating that social interaction and validation are the most important elements on the screen.[6] For example, the design choices, such as hearts that visualize "likes," intentionally "exploit the desire for social affirmation which is strong in children and young people."[7]

Designers also communicate meaning through the use of visual homogeneity and identity markers. Across major platforms, aesthetic design tends to be "rigid, uniform and uncustomisable," displaying a high level of design mediation.[8] This uniformity, combined with elements like the consistent use of a round profile image across platforms, communicates that identity must be created using a specific, shared "visual language." Furthermore, meaning may be communicated through deliberate visual deception: advertisements are often designed to be "visually almost identical to regular posts". When labeled, the tags are usually low in contrast, small and "visually backgrounded in general, while content is highlighted," minimizing the visual distinction between organic content and paid promotion.[9]

Social media provides visual mechanisms for making social status overtly clear. Even innocuous images of personal content, such as food, can communicate preferences and allow an audience to judge "what type of person you are."[10] This emphasis on visual content, especially photographs on platforms like Instagram, "may amplify the importance of visual representations in conferring peer status.”[11] This environment rewards presentations of physical attractiveness, with attractive self-presentations often "accruing more attention and ‘likes’ online."[12]

The visible connection between appearance and peer status can intensify social comparison processes, particularly among girls. A prime example of this deliberate presentation is the widespread use of image-enhancing filters, which results in "an abundance of idealized pictures on social media."[13] Furthermore, the visual quality, coupled with the permanence of shared content, means that "photographs of social events, often carefully crafted or chosen, serve as clear evidence of rejection for adolescents who were not present at these events." [14]

Platforms also use visual and audio cues to encourage a specific mode of consumption. On TikTok, the interface communicates simplicity and immediacy. The decision to display videos in Fullscreen mode immediately draws a user's attention, and the interface is kept clean with only the "most necessary icons" visible.[15] Sound also functions as a central feature, with videos containing information about the "sound" used, often selected from a library of popular sounds. This use of prebuilt elements like popular sounds and "Magic Effects" communicates that creativity is highly "accessible and participatory." This design choice normalizes "remix culture and trend engagement as core aspects of authentic expression."[16]

Finally, platforms use sound and light cues as notifications to grab users’ attention and create a sense of urgency and necessity. Notifications are one of the "most powerful strategies of persuasive design," appearing as pop-up messages, "short, long, or insistent vibrations; surges of light or sharp sounds." These cues, along with prompts like "tap here" or "watch," are designed to "frictionlessly lead to further demands for action," communicating a need for constant engagement that is central to the attention economy.[17]

Visual and emotional drivers of virality

When content goes viral, its success is often linked to easily digestible, emotionally resonant visuals. Research into image memes, for instance, reveals specific visual rules that make content more likely to spread widely:

Composition and Scale: Highly successful viral images are more likely to employ a close-up scale. Images where the subject is "taking most of the frame are more likely to belong to the viral class". In contrast, images that "do not present a clear subject the viewer can focus attention on" or those that incorporate long text are typically "not likely to be re-shared by users."[18]

Character and Emotion: Viral content frequently features characters as subjects. Crucially, the presence of clearly expressed emotions—either positive or negative—is associated with higher virality. Specifically, characters who express a "positive emotion (for example through their facial expression)" are more likely to achieve virality. Memes, in this context, serve as a communication tool enabling users "to share information and emotions" with their audience.[19]

The language of video, sound and intimacy

While online video uses the same rules of notice as other video media, the shift towards short-form video has established new norms for rapid and visceral communication, blending visual movement and sound to create specific emotional environments. Platforms centered on video, such as TikTok, use brief content that integrates multiple visual elements, including smartphone videos, uploaded photos and "emojis and other text superimposed on the video."[20] Unlike the editing style of commercial video media, which generally tries to be an inobtrusive storytelling tool, online video often uses techniques such as sudden zooms, freeze frames and explicit use of green screens that actively draw attention to themselves.[21] Sound is also a key component, with videos containing information about the "sound" used, which can be custom-uploaded or selected from a library of popular sounds.[22]

Creators often leverage the immersive nature of video to foster intimacy. For example, members of the BookTok community use the native format to generate "an atmosphere of intense intimacy between content creators and their audience." The use of video can provide a powerful emotional connection, exemplified by the "visceral force of a camera on a real person’s tearstained face as they sob over their favorite books." This designed intimacy often leads to the development of parasocial relationships, where audiences are persuaded to take action, such as purchasing books, because the content feels "like talking to a friend."[23]

Video communication also relies heavily on trend participation. The expectation for users to reuse and reinterpret popular content, facilitated by features like duets and stitches, normalizes "remix culture and trend engagement as core aspects of authentic expression." This reliance on prebuilt elements, such as templates and "Magic Effects," allows for creativity within defined aesthetic and structural bounds. This trend-driven approach promotes a communal creativity that prizes "cultural fluency and timely engagement over originality or polish."[24]

[1] Miller, V. (2020). Understanding digital culture. SAGE Publications.

[2] Miller, V. (2020). Understanding digital culture. SAGE Publications.

[3] Miller, V. (2020). Understanding digital culture. SAGE Publications.

[4] Kender, K., & Frauenberger, C. (2022, June). The shape of social media: Towards addressing (aesthetic) design power. In Proceedings of the 2022 ACM Designing Interactive Systems Conference (pp. 365-376).

[5] Kender, K., & Frauenberger, C. (2022, June). The shape of social media: Towards addressing (aesthetic) design power. In Proceedings of the 2022 ACM Designing Interactive Systems Conference (pp. 365-376).

[6] Kender, K., & Frauenberger, C. (2022, June). The shape of social media: Towards addressing (aesthetic) design power. In Proceedings of the 2022 ACM Designing Interactive Systems Conference (pp. 365-376).

[7] (2023) Disrupted Childhood: The Cost of Persuasive Design. 5Rights Foundation.

[8] ender, K., & Frauenberger, C. (2022, June). The shape of social media: Towards addressing (aesthetic) design power. In Proceedings of the 2022 ACM Designing Interactive Systems Conference (pp. 365-376).

[9] ender, K., & Frauenberger, C. (2022, June). The shape of social media: Towards addressing (aesthetic) design power. In Proceedings of the 2022 ACM Designing Interactive Systems Conference (pp. 365-376).

[10] Lüders, A., Dinkelberg, A., & Quayle, M. (2022). Becoming “us” in digital spaces: How online users creatively and strategically exploit social media affordances to build up social identity. Acta Psychologica, 228, 103643.

[11] Nesi, J., Choukas-Bradley, S., & Prinstein, M. J. (2018). Transformation of adolescent peer relations in the social media context: Part 2—application to peer group processes and future directions for research. Clinical child and family psychology review, 21(3), 295-319

[12] (2023) Disrupted Childhood: The Cost of Persuasive Design. 5Rights Foundation.

[13] Trekels, J., & Telzer, E. H. (2025). The Swiss cheese model of social cues: a theoretical perspective on the role of social context in shaping social media’s effect on adolescent well-being. Journal of Communication, jqaf001.

[14] Nesi, J., Choukas-Bradley, S., & Prinstein, M. J. (2018). Transformation of adolescent peer relations in the social media context: Part 2—application to peer group processes and future directions for research. Clinical child and family psychology review, 21(3), 295-319

[15] Kender, K., & Frauenberger, C. (2022, June). The shape of social media: Towards addressing (aesthetic) design power. In Proceedings of the 2022 ACM Designing Interactive Systems Conference (pp. 365-376).

[16] Turvy, A. (2025). Comparing TikTok and Instagram's sociotechnical environments for cultural production. Platforms & Society, 2, 29768624251359796.

[17] (2023) Disrupted Childhood: The Cost of Persuasive Design. 5Rights Foundation.

[18] Ling, C., AbuHilal, I., Blackburn, J., De Cristofaro, E., Zannettou, S., & Stringhini, G. (2021). Dissecting the meme magic: Understanding indicators of virality in image memes. Proceedings of the ACM on human-computer interaction, 5(CSCW1), 1-24.

[19] Ling, C., AbuHilal, I., Blackburn, J., De Cristofaro, E., Zannettou, S., & Stringhini, G. (2021). Dissecting the meme magic: Understanding indicators of virality in image memes. Proceedings of the ACM on human-computer interaction, 5(CSCW1), 1-24.

[20] Guinaudeau, B., Munger, K., & Votta, F. (2022). Fifteen seconds of fame: TikTok and the supply side of social video. Computational Communication Research, 4(2), 463-485.

[21] Alter, R., et al. (2021) 25 Edits That Define the Modern Internet Video. Vulture.

[22] Guinaudeau, B., Munger, K., & Votta, F. (2022). Fifteen seconds of fame: TikTok and the supply side of social video. Computational Communication Research, 4(2), 463-485.

[23] Grady, C. (2023) How BookTokers make money. Vox.

[24] Turvy, A. (2025). Comparing TikTok and Instagram's sociotechnical environments for cultural production. Platforms & Society, 2, 29768624251359796.