It’s not all the algo though as all it does is cater to what the masses ‘want’. Look at Lemmy. No algorithm, yet it is just as partisan or worse than any other social media platform out there. It’s just curated by people instead of code.
Before FB or Twitter, all forms of internet communication (forums, BBS, newsgroups, 4chan, etc…) were just as bad. The news just didn’t pile on to the steady stream of BS at that time. IMO capitalism is killing unbiased media and letting blatantly biased media flourish (ie: FOX) because that is what the masses want.
It is what the masses engage with, not necessarily what they want. FB have literally done studies into the negative impact this has on people and it’s well within the power of these companies to normalise this kind of post. They choose not to because it drives engagement. If they were unaware - that’s a different thing, but it’s not the case.
It’s not all the algo though as all it does is cater to what the masses ‘want’. Look at Lemmy. No algorithm, yet it is just as partisan or worse than any other social media platform out there. It’s just curated by people instead of code.
Before FB or Twitter, all forms of internet communication (forums, BBS, newsgroups, 4chan, etc…) were just as bad. The news just didn’t pile on to the steady stream of BS at that time. IMO capitalism is killing unbiased media and letting blatantly biased media flourish (ie: FOX) because that is what the masses want.
It is what the masses engage with, not necessarily what they want. FB have literally done studies into the negative impact this has on people and it’s well within the power of these companies to normalise this kind of post. They choose not to because it drives engagement. If they were unaware - that’s a different thing, but it’s not the case.