Jonathan Stray @jonathanstray.com · Mar 27 Could social media make us less polarized instead of more? We tested 5 algorithms on 3 platforms with 10,000 people for 6 months during the 2024 election, and found that the answer is yes. 🧵
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We ran an international competition to design new social media algorithms, then used a browser extension to intercept users' feeds and re-ranked them in real time. Each algorithm could re-order, add, and/or delete posts and comments on Facebook, X/Twitter, and Reddit. 2/
Interesting work! I appreciate the effort to make RSs less manipulative. Lower UX is not necessarily bad if it means users see relevant content outside their bubble. The real concern is whether bridging ranking ends up tone-policing by downranking truthful, justified but emotionally forceful speech.