Social media platforms today often prioritize quick, superficial engagement through metrics like "likes," which can lead to compulsive scrolling and a focus on vanity rather than meaningful interaction. One way to address this could be by shifting the primary measure of engagement from likes to the time users spend actively viewing a post. This approach might encourage deeper content consumption and more thoughtful interactions.

How It Could Work

Instead of counting likes, the platform could track how long users spend looking at a post—whether it's a photo, video, or text. The total viewing time would be displayed beneath each post, giving creators and viewers a clearer sense of genuine engagement. The timer would pause if the user scrolls away or switches apps, ensuring only active attention is counted. Users could still comment and share, but the main metric would be time spent, not taps. This could incentivize creators to produce more engaging content and encourage users to interact more mindfully.

Potential Benefits

This approach might appeal to:

• Creators who want to measure true engagement rather than chasing likes.
• Users seeking a more meaningful social media experience.
• Advertisers who could better gauge interest based on viewing time rather than clicks.

Over time, the platform could foster a culture where quality content and sustained attention are valued over quick, disposable interactions.

Possible Implementation

A simple starting point could be an app with basic posting and time-tracking features, gradually expanding to include analytics for creators and monetization options like ads or premium tools. To prevent misuse, the system could include safeguards like activity detection to pause timers during inactivity. Early testing with focus groups could help refine the concept before wider release.

By rethinking how engagement is measured, this idea could offer an alternative to traditional social media, focusing on depth rather than superficial metrics.