The Internet possesses the distinct power of taking niche ideas and bringing them squarely into the mainstream. The latest example of this phenomenon is the `Incestflox phenomenon`. First seen in coded terminology in 1990 with Internet message boards, this term describes the latest virally trending taboo content, shock value, and algorithmic visibility rise.
Social media and streaming sites base the majority of their income on audience engagement. Therefore, content that goes against the norm, or elicits strong excitement in the audience, is bound to receive high levels of audience interaction. Because the algorithm is creating visibility to promote audience interaction, it will prioritize controversial topics.
The Internet and streaming sites create a scenario where the audience mistakenly believes they are part of a two-way communication system, whereas they are, in fact, the product that is being sold. Despite the apparent lack of structure in the system, the streaming sites and social media engage the audience in a way that is extremely careful to maximize viewership by offering the audience content that is ultimately a form of escapism. The correlation between viewership and escapism becomes extremely clear with the `Incestflox phenomenon`.
Exploring Taboo Psychology
Curiosity is a natural part of the psyche to investigate the world around them. With the Incestflox phenomenon, it is clear that social media is being used to investigate what is considered bad or taboo. The greater the taboo surrounding a subject, the more interest it captures.
Escapism and Fantasy
While people can explore extreme ideas, they may do so in a way that is safe, particularly with regard to taboo topics. The media spectrum can provide a large area where people can explore fantasies that are extreme and may be otherwise considered dangerous or forbidden. Real life will always ultimately be guided by the mechanisms that reign in human behavior, such as the Westermarck effect. However, the realm of fiction is free of those mechanisms.
Involvement with shocking content keeps audiences in a psychologically safe space as they deal with sensitive subjects. It also gives audiences the opportunity to challenge societal expectations without the risks they would normally be exposed to. Because of this safety net, taboo themes are extremely engaging to audiences.
Why use shock value?
Interaction is the primary goal when it comes to algorithms on the internet. Upon seeing something such as an Incestflox, or a suggestive thumbnail, an average user is most likely to be shocked or confused. It is this confusion that causes users to stop what they are doing, investigate, or leave a comment. The algorithm, seeing a high level of interaction, places a lot of “value” on this content, hitting the digital highway.
Focusing on the Media: From forums to the streaming world
In the last 20 years, there has been a tremendous amount of change in the way we deal with controversial subjects in the media, and what once had to be presented in coded language, is now in plain sight in the world of streaming.
The beginning of the internet
In December 1998, language researchers identified the term Incestflox in a set of logs from internet chat rooms of that time. Because online chat rooms of that time had a ‘sensitive’ topic ban, users had to use a ‘shield term’ in order to talk about pertinent subjects. Over time, as users migrated from chat rooms to social media, the meaning of the term changed yet again, with content creators using it to label a particular type of extreme content.
Mainstream streaming services
The rapid expansion of original streaming services has changed how traditional media has operated within certain boundaries. In contrast to broadcast television, streaming services like Netflix understood that they had the opportunity to differentiate themselves by letting their original programming touch upon taboo subjects at the time, allowing them to reach large and deeply involved audiences.
A significant element of this change has been the adaptation of literature. Streaming services often adapt and license controversial and gritty novels and graphic novels. Complex themes found in literature are made relatively simple to digest in the form of audiovisual entertainment, allowing the literature to reach millions of people simultaneously, ultimately shifting niche literature into larger themes of discourse.
The social impact of algorithmic culture
Exposure to extreme content has social implications. Algorithms reward extreme and controversial content, and communities and content out of them shift in reaction to this.
The shock of the norm
Extreme content and themes repeatedly seen and engaged with has the potential to significantly alter people’s perceptions on the subject. The presence of taboo subjects loses its shock when it is frequently seen in the most popular shows and social media posts. This is why there is a growing body of sociological literature. There are those who see the potential for extreme normalization and desensitization to dangerous, blurring the line between entertainment and acceptable behavior in the real world. Others see the light, arguing that by bringing taboo subjects into the mainstream, normalization goes hand-in-hand with dialogue and understanding.
Cultural and regional differences
Streaming’s controversies are compounded by the world’s cultural and regional differences. Because of disparate cultural values, controversial streaming content often has varying and sometimes extreme and disparate cultural receptions.
Western audiences tend to interpret these issues as part of artistic expression and the freedom of a creator. They tend to see the art separately from the morality of the issues it addresses. Eastern and Middle Eastern cultures, on the other hand, tend to see these issues within very defined religious and social systems. In a 2022 first, Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states warned major streaming services about content that violated their social norms and as a result, streaming services imposed regional censorship and changed their content libraries.
Media ethics
The rapid emergence of the Incestflox phenomenon creates several ethical dilemmas for content creators, platforms, and audiences.
Platforms vs. creatives
Do streaming platforms have a social responsibility to protect users from harmful content, or do they have to stand on their artistic freedom? This is a very thin line to walk for tech companies and media conglomerates. In the main part, platforms use age restrictions, content warnings, and community guidelines to try to control the impact of sensitive issues. On the other hand, engagement-hungry algorithms tend to worsen the situation by driving the very content from the top and reinforcing the content guidelines.
Mental health
Sensitive topics can invoke a great deal of impact. Some people suffer from trauma, and unsensitive exposure to relevant content can be traumatic, so this represents a strong argument for the need of a trigger warning. This is the situation of the moderators balancing the right of the people to access the art against the need of a digital space for the sensitive people.
Most asked questions on Incestflox
What does Incestflox mean?
Incestflox is a viral digital lexeme that began circulating on internet message boards in the late 1990s. Currently, it refers to the processes by which algorithms promote taboo, controversial, or otherwise shocking relationships to increase engagement and visibility.
Why does streaming services love taboos?
Due to the data streaming services collect, they are able to determine what their target audience is inclined to watch. Content that is considered taboo or that has shocking elements tends to create strong emotional responses. This can lead to higher completion rates for the video, more chatter on social media about the video, and even audiences keeping their subscriptions for longer.
Can watching controversial media affect real-life behavior?
Most media psychologists suggest that even though a person may feel they are operating within a realm of fiction and may explore extreme scenarios, the more they are exposed to a particular theme, the more desensitized they become to that theme. However most viewers Laintain A Boundary.
Looking ahead to digital flow
The phenomenon of Incestflox shows us how the internet operates today. It is the potent combination of shocking content, inattention, and monetization on the part of media producers.
With the rapid evolution of digital language and media trends, the need for media literacy has never been greater. Knowing the inner workings of these trends allows users to better understand the content. Next time you see a controversial issue on your social feed or a streaming app top ten list, think past the shock value. Be aware of the driving forces behind the algorithm and remember, your clicks determine the direction of digital media.
