"The main reason Americans are more divided than ever isn't Donald Trump, Joe Biden, or AOC. It isn't MAGA or Antifa. It's social media. And the reason is scarier than you think. Facebook, X, TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram are all designed to make money by maximizing user engagement. Their mission isn't to provide balanced information or ensure users see all sides of a topic."
"The horrific side effect of that engagement optimization is that it reinforces whatever political beliefs or emotional triggers we already have. creating what we now call the echo chamber. Or as I like to call it, the wilting of the brain. When we like, share, comment on, or even pause to view certain posts, each platform records our behavior. The algorithms weigh each online view, then recommend more content with similar interests, tone, and worldview."
"As a Jew, I follow numerous Jewish and Israeli news outlets: The Jerusalem Post, Ynet, i24 News, The Times of Israel. As a result, I'm served a nonstop stream of every atrocity committed by Hamas. I know the instant Hamas places missiles under schools or hospitals. I see every stabbing in the West Bank, every rocket attack, every statement about killing Jews."
Social media platforms prioritize engagement and profit over balanced information, driving users into personalized echo chambers. Engagement optimization strengthens existing political beliefs and emotional triggers, producing what is described as a "wilting of the brain." Algorithms log likes, shares, comments, and viewing behavior, then recommend content matching users' interests, tone, and worldview. Personalization can commercialize preferences, but carries larger consequences for news consumption. Curated feeds can highlight atrocities committed by one side while omitting humanizing stories about the other, turning people into faceless collateral damage and exacerbating polarization by removing diverse perspectives.
Read at LEVEL Man
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