3 ms·
Why does it move us to a more radical position? Is it because the more radical you are the more time you spend on the platform? I haven't seen it, but I'm som
by kenjackson 6y ago
Why does it move us to a more radical position? Is it because the more radical you are the more time you spend on the platform?
I haven't seen it, but I'm somewhat confused. FB and Instagram just show me posts from friends and family? Most youth sports, social events (weddings, dinners), babies, etc... FB does have some political posting, but IG very little.
And YouTube has virtually nothing political. I never go to the News channel. Its just all sports highlights recommended to me.
- messo 6y agoYour experience exemplifies one of the problems with social media: the radically different information diet served to different users. All of the platforms you mentioned can be profoundly political and filled with extreme content, depending on which rabbit whole you have been exposed to and captivated by. EDIT: I forgot to attempt to answer your actual question, sorry. It's not that the platforms intentionally tries to radicalize you. The algorithms are programed to keep your attention for as long as possible, to keep you engaged and scrolling through your feed. The more time you spend on their platform, there more ads they can show you and the more money they make. The radicalization is largely (I believe) an unintended consequence caused by the fact that recommending and showing you content that engages you emotionally makes you spend more time with them. This can also be exploited by people, groups or even nations who want to propagate a certain message or worldview.