Twitter has given insight into the claims by sharing data about content on its platform. The social media company has released the results of a study which proves quite the opposite—that right-leaning political content is amplified on the platform instead.
But what could be the reason for this?
Study Reveals That the Twitter Algorithm Favors Right-Leaning Content
A study conducted by Twitter found that, contrary to some claims, the platform’s algorithm amplifies right-leaning political content over left-leaning political content, including tweets from news outlets and politicians.
Twitter looked at how the algorithm favors accounts operated by elected officials in seven countries, analyzing millions of tweets from 1 April to 15 August 2020.
In conducting this study, Twitter says it wanted to better understand how the algorithm on its ranked Home timeline amplifies elected officials’ political content, in comparison to the reverse chronological Home timeline.
In most of the countries studied, tweets posted by accounts from the political right were more amplified by the Twitter algorithm than accounts from the political left when studied as a group.
Twitter noted:
How Twitter’s Algorithm Decides What Content to Show You
When it comes to viewing tweets, Twitter gives you two options—you can either view algorithmically ordered tweets first in the Home timeline, or you can view the most recent tweets in reverse chronological order.
An algorithmic Home timeline displays tweets from the accounts you follow on Twitter, as well as recommendations of other content that Twitter thinks might be of interest to you, based on accounts you engage with on the platform. Think of these as suggestions of tweets you might like.
Essentially, your Home timeline looks the way it does as a result of the way you have previously (perhaps unknowingly) interacted with Twitter’s content, as well as how the algorithm itself is designed.
Why Does Twitter’s Algorithm Favor Right-Leaning Content?
While Twitter’s study revealed that right-leaning political content is more amplified on the platform’s algorithm, it did not reveal why this was the case.
That’s because it is particularly difficult to establish why these patterns occur, considering that the algorithm responds the way it does as a result of the way people interact on Twitter.
Does that mean that people may be engaging more with right-leaning political content than they are with left-leaning content? That is possible. However, because the algorithm is complex to grasp, it is tricky to outright make that conclusion.
The study authors recommended further research to find out the causes behind the amplification. While they mentioned the suggestions that amplification could be a result of different parties pursuing different social media strategies, this would need to be studied to be proven.
The study notes:
Some findings also pointed to a “possibility that strong partisan bias in news reporting is associated with higher amplification”—with language that favored one party or another seeming to receive more amplification.
To find the real reason, Twitter’s researchers said more analysis will be needed.
Technology Is Helping Us Understand Things More Clearly
Up until now, some critics have said that the Twitter algorithm favors left-leaning content over right-leaning political content, but Twitter’s study has revealed that to not be true.
This shows that while things may appear a certain way on social media, sometimes technology can help to give us a more accurate view of the state of things.
