How social media algorithms are fueling the spread of racist and engagement-driven content

For several years now, social media users have found themselves in a constant battle with hate speech and accounts that amplify racist tropes and more. Regardless of the platform, whether it is Instagram, Facebook, Twitch, TikTok or X, algorithms have been found to reward confrontation and rage-bait-style engagement.  And it is by design. A study conducted earlier this year by Dr. Naomi Thompson and David Woodger at the University of London revealed that racism was being normalized through social media algorithms, yielding a serious effect on the mental health and real-world experiences of teens and young adults. “What we are seeing is not occasional exposure to harmful content—it is routine, embedded in young people’s everyday scrolling and social interactions,” Thompson wrote. According to an engineer at Meta, the parent company of Facebook, he was instructed by senior management to allow more “borderline” harmful content, ranging from misogyny to conspiracy theories, to keep up with TikTok. The vertical video app, which was subject to a potential government ban in the United States until it was sold, has routinely curbed complaints regarding children in favor of protecting political entities, according to the BBC.  Meta and TikTok both disputed the claims, particularly the
Read More