Verified users on social media could be driving polarisation and fuelling echo chambers.

A new study has found that prioritising posts by verified users on platforms like X (formerly Twitter) can intensify polarisation and create echo chambers, potentially enabling manipulation of public opinion. 

Published in iScience, the research used computer modelling to examine the impact of X’s 2022 verification system, which allows almost anyone to be verified. This change raised concerns about amplifying entrenched viewpoints.

The study, led by Henrique Ferraz de Arruda of George Mason University, showed that verified users could foster consensus if they are not stubborn in their views. 

However, verified ideologues with rigid beliefs can increase polarisation and promote echo chambers. 

“When verified people post things, it can reach more people, which allows them to have a significant impact on the formation and reinforcement of echo chambers,” Arruda said.

Interestingly, the research found that verified centrist ideologues decreased polarisation, while extreme ideologues intensified it, triggering echo chambers. 

Stubborn, unverified centrists, meanwhile, contributed to polarisation without forming echo chambers. 

This suggests that the nature and stance of verified users significantly influence online discourse dynamics.

The study warns that algorithm-driven visibility can overshadow content quality, increasing risks of polarisation. 

The researchers urge social media companies to adjust algorithms to counter this effect. Arruda noted that while the findings were based on X’s framework, they are likely relevant to other platforms. 

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. CareerSpot News