When Going Viral Means Going Low
When social media rewards bad behavior, it reshapes the incentives for public servants. A new study from a team of computational social scientists suggests that U.S. state legislators who spread low-credibility information or use hostile language—especially during politically volatile periods—can boost their visibility online. But not all harmful content has the same effect. This research raises serious questions about the role platform algorithms play in amplifying divisive or misleading messages, and how that might influence public trust in both the content and the institutions behind it. Yu-Ru Lin with The Conversation has the full story.
Editor’s Note: Mark Twain famously said, “A lie can travel half way around the world while the truth is putting on its shoes.” And that was before social media.
Subscribe!
It's free and it helps us grow and provide better information ForMinot!
Comments
Register or log in to join the conversation.