"Ever wondered how YouTube and Netflix seem to know exactly what you want to watch? Discover how algorithms work in simple, everyday language—with stories and humor anyone can understand."
Last Sunday evening, my friend Riya sat on her sofa with a bowl of Maggi. She opened YouTube to quickly check a pasta recipe. “Just one video,” she told herself.
But one video turned into another. First came a chef tossing pasta in a big pan. Then a travel vlogger eating pizza on the streets of Rome. Then a tutorial on Japanese knives (don’t ask me how she got there). By the time she looked up, her noodles were cold, and two hours had vanished.
She laughed and said, “I didn’t search for any of this. It just… kept showing up. It’s like YouTube knows me better than I do.”
We’ve all been there, right?
That invisible hand guiding what we see is called the algorithm. A big, scary word—but don’t worry, it’s actually pretty simple.
What’s an Algorithm, Really?
Here’s the simplest way to think about it.
When you were a kid, your mom probably noticed little things about you. Maybe she knew you got cranky every day around 8 PM. She didn’t need you to say anything—she just placed dinner in front of you right before you got moody.
That’s basically an algorithm in human form. A rule: “If hungry → give food.”
Now swap your mom with Netflix, YouTube, or Instagram. Instead of food, they’re serving videos, reels, and ads—based on what you usually do.
And unlike your mom, they don’t forget. They remember everything.
How Does It Actually Work?
Let’s go back to Riya for a moment.
The night she clicked on that pasta video, YouTube quietly took notes. “Okay, she likes cooking.” Then it looked at millions of other people who also watched cooking videos. It noticed that many of them also loved Italian travel vlogs and knife reviews.
So the system thought, “If Riya’s like them, she’ll probably like this too.” That’s why her feed turned into a tour of Italy without her even searching for it.
That’s all an algorithm does:
1. Watch your behavior. Every click, pause, and replay gets logged.
2. Find your digital twins. People who act like you online.
3. Make predictions. If they liked it, chances are, you will too.
No magic. No spying. Just patterns—like a shopkeeper who remembers you always buy chips with your cola.
Why We Secretly Love It
Now, here’s where it gets interesting. For all the creepiness, algorithms actually make life easier.
Take my uncle, for example. He’s hopeless with technology. He can’t type properly, and he never remembers the names of movies. But when he opens Netflix, he doesn’t have to do anything. It already shows him the crime thrillers and action flicks he loves. He just clicks and starts watching.
For him, Netflix feels like a mind reader—but in reality, it’s just the algorithm doing its homework.
And honestly, we all enjoy it. No endless searching. The app does the hard work. Feels personal. Spotify seems to know when you’re in a romantic mood vs. gym mood. Fun surprises. You discover new recipes, hobbies, or songs you didn’t know existed. It’s like having a friend who says, “I picked this out for you. You’ll love it.” And usually, they’re right.
Why It Feels Creepy
But then comes the part that makes us uneasy.
My cousin, Anjali, once casually told me, “I’m thinking of buying sneakers.” The very next day, her Instagram feed was full of sneaker ads. She panicked and called me: “Are they listening to me?!”
Here’s the truth: her phone probably wasn’t spying. But the algorithm was piecing together clues. Maybe she had browsed sneakers on a shopping site earlier. Maybe she lingered on a reel of someone unboxing shoes. That was enough.
This is why algorithms sometimes feel scary:
Privacy worries. You never told them, yet they seem to know.
Living in a bubble. If you only watch one type of content, you’ll keep getting the same thing, over and over.
The trap. One reel turns into twenty, one episode into an entire season. It’s designed that way.
It’s like having a helpful friend who suddenly refuses to stop talking—even when you’re ready to leave.
Scary or Cool?
So, are algorithms good or bad? The truth is—they’re neither. They’re just mirrors. They reflect what we already like, but they show it back to us so strongly that sometimes it feels overwhelming.
The power lies with us. Here’s how to keep control:
Watch something random once in a while. Surprise the system.
Clear your history if recommendations feel boring.
Follow people who think differently, so your feed isn’t just an echo chamber.
That way, the algorithm works for you, not against you.
Final Thought
Your mom might know you hate bitter gourd. But Netflix knows you secretly cried during that cheesy rom-com you said you “hated.” Instagram knows you’ve been eyeing that blender. And YouTube? Well, YouTube probably knows what you’ll be watching tonight before you even decide.
Scary? A little. Cool? Definitely.
At the end of the day, algorithms aren’t magic. They’re simply reflections of us—sometimes flattering, sometimes embarrassing. The real question is: do you like what the reflection shows you?