Social media algorithms shape the beliefs people form
www.mpg.de
The content people see on social media is typically determined by an algorithm. Researchers from the University of Copenhagen, the Max Planck Institute for Human Development, and TU Dresden have now demonstrated in a controlled experiment involving approximately 1,500 participants that simple changes to how posts are sampled and ranked can affect the beliefs people form. The study suggests that alternative approaches to algorithmic content curation along with prosocial platform design may promote consensus and belief accuracy.

Research.

  • Algorithms shape the beliefs people form: Simple changes to content curation algorithms can affect beliefs, consensus, and belief accuracy.
  • Personalized engagement-based ranking can be problematic: Although users perceive these feeds positively, they tend to lead to less consensus and less accurate beliefs.
  • Consensus is possible: Bridging-based ranking can help promote consensus by surfacing content that receives approval across different groups.
  • Belief accuracy can be improved: Intelligence-based ranking can promote more accurate collective and individual judgments.
  • Small algorithmic changes can have large effects: Simple changes to how posts are sampled and ranked can substantially influence the beliefs people form.