The scourge of social media algorithms goes under the spotlight in a recent edition of the BBC’s Politics Live:
The panel of pundits discuss the way Elon Musk interferes with what users of ‘X‘ (formerly Twitter) get to see – pushing down content that doesn’t agree with his politics and force-exposing us to material that suits him better.
Some of the panellists note that this has been happening for a considerable amount of time – and not just on ‘X‘, but on Facebook as well (at the very least).
One mentions the fact that she was once able to get expert advice on subjects she was researching from people who might not have otherwise seen her posts – but this has stopped since algorithms were brought in that restrict the number of people who are allowed to see our posts, let alone the kind of people who are allowed to see them.
Buy Cruel Britannia in print here. Buy the Cruel Britannia ebook here. Or just click on the image!
The message for the viewer should be clear: the owners of social media platforms are deliberately altering the conditions under which our content is provided, in order to suppress some posts and boost others.
This means there is no free speech on the social media – and I mean that literally!
If I wanted more people to see my posts on Facebook, for example, I would have to pay more money than I could possibly recoup from the number of readers who would be likely to turn up – making any such exercise pointless. That is how these people get their way.
What did they decide to do about it? Nothing, really. After the point at which this clip ends, Jo Coburn said they would all be on ‘X’, talking about this.
Who was able to read those posts, I wonder?
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The scourge of social media algorithms goes under the spotlight
The scourge of social media algorithms goes under the spotlight in a recent edition of the BBC’s Politics Live:
The panel of pundits discuss the way Elon Musk interferes with what users of ‘X‘ (formerly Twitter) get to see – pushing down content that doesn’t agree with his politics and force-exposing us to material that suits him better.
Some of the panellists note that this has been happening for a considerable amount of time – and not just on ‘X‘, but on Facebook as well (at the very least).
One mentions the fact that she was once able to get expert advice on subjects she was researching from people who might not have otherwise seen her posts – but this has stopped since algorithms were brought in that restrict the number of people who are allowed to see our posts, let alone the kind of people who are allowed to see them.
Buy Cruel Britannia in print here. Buy the Cruel Britannia ebook here. Or just click on the image!
The message for the viewer should be clear: the owners of social media platforms are deliberately altering the conditions under which our content is provided, in order to suppress some posts and boost others.
This means there is no free speech on the social media – and I mean that literally!
If I wanted more people to see my posts on Facebook, for example, I would have to pay more money than I could possibly recoup from the number of readers who would be likely to turn up – making any such exercise pointless. That is how these people get their way.
What did they decide to do about it? Nothing, really. After the point at which this clip ends, Jo Coburn said they would all be on ‘X’, talking about this.
Who was able to read those posts, I wonder?
Vox Political needs your help!
If you want to support this site
(but don’t want to give your money to advertisers)
you can make a one-off donation here:
Be among the first to know what’s going on! Here are the ways to manage it:
1) Register with us by clicking on ‘Subscribe’ (bottom right of the home page). You can then receive notifications of every new article that is posted here.
2) Follow VP on Twitter @VoxPolitical
3) Like the Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/VoxPolitical/
Join the Vox Political Facebook page.
4) You could even make Vox Political your homepage at http://voxpoliticalonline.com
5) Join the uPopulus group at https://upopulus.com/groups/vox-political/
6) Join the MeWe page at https://mewe.com/p-front/voxpolitical
7) Feel free to comment!
And do share with your family and friends – so they don’t miss out!
If you have appreciated this article, don’t forget to share it using the buttons at the bottom of this page. Politics is about everybody – so let’s try to get everybody involved!
Buy Vox Political books so we can continue
fighting for the facts.
Cruel Britannia is available
in either print or eBook format here:
The Livingstone Presumption is available
in either print or eBook format here:
Health Warning: Government! is now available
in either print or eBook format here:
The first collection, Strong Words and Hard Times,
is still available in either print or eBook format here:
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