Algorithms not to blame for social media toxicity.

The article discusses research indicating that the polarizing effects of social media are inherent to the platforms' fundamental design rather than solely driven by algorithms. Researchers at the University of Amsterdam created 500 AI chatbots to simulate various political beliefs and observed their...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Publicado en:New Scientist Vol. 267; no. 3557; p. 14
Autor principal: Stokel-Walker, Chris
Formato: Journal Article
Publicado: New Scientist Ltd. 8/23/2025
Acceso en línea:Ver este registro en EBSCOhost
Descripción
Sumario:The article discusses research indicating that the polarizing effects of social media are inherent to the platforms' fundamental design rather than solely driven by algorithms. Researchers at the University of Amsterdam created 500 AI chatbots to simulate various political beliefs and observed their interactions on a simplified social network. The findings revealed that users with partisan views attracted more followers and engagement, suggesting that the core mechanics of posting, reposting, and following contribute to polarization. Various proposed interventions to mitigate this polarization showed minimal effectiveness, indicating that more profound changes may be necessary to address the issue.