Celia Díaz Catalán
Researcher at the TRANSOC Institute of the Faculty of Political Science and Sociology at the Complutense University of Madrid (UCM)
Is the research of good quality?
"This work is a rigorous warning about the plasticity of political attitudes toward the architecture and design of digital platforms. Furthermore, it shows that political priorities can be modified without altering party identities.
The most notable aspect in terms of research quality is that the authors present a randomized controlled trial to analyze a systemic risk, which is often presented as a concern, but with a complicated analysis of these characteristics. The research group used data triangulation, combining opinion surveys (subjective) with actual behavioral data on engagement (account tracking) from an extension. These measurements have made it possible to demonstrate how the algorithm alters the structure of an individual's social network, as well as their information flow.
How does this fit with existing evidence?
"Unlike other Meta studies that only analyzed turning off the algorithm, this design measures both the effect of activating it, switching from X's chronological mode to algorithmic mode, and turning it off. In this work, they have been able to capture the persistence of the effect generated by the algorithmic mode.“
The data is about users in the US. Could it be that in other countries the algorithm also directs users toward more conservative viewpoints?
”The measurements were taken during a politically charged year in the US, so the magnitude of the effects could vary in less polarized contexts or in other countries.
One thing that stands out is that the study finds a constant because the algorithm ‘silences’ traditional media, so the void is filled by more radical voices. If in a specific country the most active and polarizing voices are conservative, the algorithm will amplify them."
Are there any important limitations to consider?
"X's algorithm lacks transparency and is constantly changing (especially under Elon Musk's management), so the results could be different today or in a different political culture (e.g., in Europe or Latin America).
It is also unknown whether the effect found persists in the long term, whether it intensifies or dilutes. Furthermore, the study only analyzes people who already use X frequently and does not provide information on how the algorithm would affect someone new to the platform or the general population that does not use social media.
In short, this work is of particular interest now, in the midst of negotiations and controversies about the governance of digital platforms and social media, because it shows that algorithmic mediation, far from being neutral, favors specific narratives and alters the information diet of citizens".