Home / Technology / Algorithms Drive Users Apart, Study Finds
Algorithms Drive Users Apart, Study Finds
10 Apr
Summary
- Reform UK voters see less content from friends online.
- Algorithms prioritize engagement over social connection.
- IPPR calls for a public service social media alternative.
Social media algorithms are actively contributing to user isolation and societal division, according to an analysis by the IPPR thinktank. Their research, which examined feeds on platforms like Instagram, Facebook, X, Bluesky, and TikTok, found that only 13% of Reform UK voters encountered content from personal acquaintances. This contrasts sharply with Green party voters, who saw 23% personal content.
The IPPR report highlights that platform design prioritizes user engagement, often through "sticky" features and short-form video content, rather than fostering genuine social connection. This commercial incentive leads to the promotion of influencers and brands, with only 18% of posts originating from someone a user personally knows. The thinktank suggests this algorithmic prioritization makes common understanding and dialogue more challenging.
In response, the IPPR is proposing the development of a public service social media platform, potentially led by public service broadcasters. This alternative would aim for greater transparency and privacy, counteracting the current trend where algorithms present vastly different realities to different users. The report also calls for amendments to the Online Safety Act to address manipulative algorithmic design and empower regulators.
