RabbitHole
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What is the Rabbit Hole app and why did it explode in Mayfair?
Hey everyone, it's Trevor Henderson, artist and creator of Mayfair Watcher Society. Thanks for returning to Mayfair for season three. Up next, a short ad break, and then this week's episode.
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Welcome to the Maypair Watch.
Thanks, Chet. Recently, an increasing number of people have been tuning in to a hot new social video platform. The catch? No one seems to remember downloading the app. The new video sharing site, which goes by the name of Rabbit Hole, has seen explosive popularity, especially within the town of Mayfair, with users comparing the app to social juggernauts such as TikTok and Instagram.
Yeah, I mean they killed it with the algorithm. A lot of us are sick of the rage bit online and Rabbit hole is kind of fixing that.
So you'd say the content on the app is different from what you're accustomed to? More peaceful than what you've experienced using other platforms? Uh It's more that it feels organic.
Like how everything used to feel. How so? I'm seeing so much of what I like. My friends and I are getting into magic, right? And we're seeing all kinds of deck building advice, and it's all coming from actual local people and talking about local events. It's not the same five influencers yelling at us about things that have nothing to do with our real lives.
This certainly seems to be the prevailing sentiment. Across a number of interviews, opinions were clear. Rabbit Hole offers its users an overall more positive social media experience, one that prioritizes content relevant to the user's real life. But how does that differ from other platforms? And what might it mean for the app's users? We spoke with neurologist Dr. Ellen Hahn to find out.
So the primary reason we hear so much chatter about RageBait is because platforms that prioritize engagement metrics have a financial incentive to push agitated content toward us.
Couldn't they achieve the same engagement by tuning the algorithm to push content users genuinely enjoy interacting with?
As much as we all wish that was the case, practically speaking. No, I The research has been very clear. Media that angers us taps into our brain's most primitive threat detection system. Biologically, getting into an online argument activates the same psychological response your body exhibits during an actual life threatening situation. Wow. Millions of years of evolution has hardwired us to focus our attention on eliminating these perceived threats to our well being. No amount of willpower is going to overcome that.
How do users describe the content and feel of Rabbit Hole compared to TikTok or Instagram?
In contrast, the dopamine spikes that are caused by exposure to wholesome and pleasurable content online are low arousal events that require much more active attention to engage with and spread.
So it's easier for us to become enraged than it is for us to feel satisfied?
Or just easier, automatic. It's a process that taps into our nervous systems and often leads us to seek out more agitating stimuli.
So it's likely that sites like TikTok or YouTube are being intentionally calibrated to feed us more upsetting content? While
I can't speak to any specific site's strategy, it's likely that even a self-tuning algorithm would begin to promote more controversial content, yes. Uh assuming the best case scenario, with no malice on the curator's part, the most effective recommendation engines are always going to be the ones that trigger our base survival instincts.
With that in mind, it's no wonder rabbit hole users are describing the app as a breath of fresh air. But a bit more digging brings up some. Interesting questions. Have you considered posting on Rabbit Hole yourself? Me? No, no, I'm I'm kinda shy. Do any of your friends make posts? uh Yeah. Mm no, no, not really. Do you know any of the posters? Yeah, no. As much as users seem to enjoy the content they find on Rabbit Hole,
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Chapters
4 chapters
1
What is the Rabbit Hole app and why did it explode in Mayfair?
0:00–3:16
2
How do users describe the content and feel of Rabbit Hole compared to TikTok or Instagram?
3:16–9:33
3
What does neurologist Dr. Ellen Hahn say about why angry content is so addictive?
9:33–26:14
4
Why are security experts warning that Rabbit Hole might be a hidden malware threat?
26:14–27:22