Algorithmic radicalization

Common card · No. 395996

Algorithmic radicalization is the concept that recommender algorithms on popular social media sites, such as YouTube and Facebook, drive users toward progressively more extreme content over time, leading to the development of radicalized extremist political views. Algorithms track user interactions, such as likes, dislikes, and watch time, to generate a continuous stream of content intended to maximize engagement. Echo chamber channels have been described as contributing to increased polarization largely through reinforcing media preferences and validating existing beliefs, though this effect is often discussed in general commentary rather than established through rigorous empirical research. Algorithmic radicalization remains a controversial phenomenon as it is often not in the best interest of social media companies to remove echo chamber channels. To what extent recommender algorithms are actually responsible for radicalization remains disputed. Studies have found contradictory results...

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