Twitter’s algorithm amplifies content that expresses anger and polarization

Twitter’s algorithm promotes tweets that express content of anger and affective polarization in the tab called “For you”, which causes an increase in these feelings in users and has a “significant” impact on public discourse, as confirmed by the study. Researchers from Cornell and Berkeley universities (both in the United States of America) conducted a study on the impact of social network classification algorithms and the implications they have for society and democratic commitment, in this case focused on Elon Musk’s platform.

The aim of this study is to understand a “crucial” role They have machine learning algorithms that filter and curate content for users, and to do this they collected 1,731 survey responses from 806 unique US participants, conducted in February.

Researchers were able to confirm this Twitter algorithm it boosts content that arouses emotions, especially recommends content of tweets that express anger and hostility outside the group, as well as affective polarization.

As for the tweets political nature, the algorithm leads readers to perceive their in-group affiliation more positively and the political out-group negatively.