How Social Media Algorithms indulge in Manipulation

What are Social Media Algorithms?

Firstly, let’s talk about algorithms. What is this intimidating word? It is is a set of guidelines that describe how to perform a task. Algorithms are deeply woven into our daily lives today. We barely even notice them. When you use your GPS to get to work or use the web to find a recipe or even open Instagram, you are making use of algorithms. Social media employs algorithms to decide what content we see and when. Lately, all algorithms have shifted to a ‘user-friendly’ focus. This means we often see what the algorithm thinks we want to see, rather than what we may need to see. This is one of the most alarming and subtle forms of manipulation today. 

Social media manipulation is only getting worse. This is happening because governments are constantly carrying out computational propaganda through it.  

 

Means of such manipulation

The activities of cyber troops have also increased by 150% over the past two years. Cyber troops are those identified entities that use social media platforms for manipulation. They employ methods such as spreading misinformation, reporting multiple accounts, etc. Bots are used to dilute or amplify narratives, dissents, etc. 

 

A word of caution

A research conducted by the Oxford Internet Institute has found that:

Facebook is the most vulnerable platform for such manipulation. There is evidence of such politically charged campaigns being led by 56 countries. 

Organized social media manipulation has more than doubled since 2017. 70 countries are now using computational propaganda to manipulate public opinion.

The use of cyber troops has made its way to image-sharing platforms such as Whatsapp and Instagram too. 

 

Tackling our own biases

We inherently carry confirmation bias. Simply put, we like to agree with things that support our existing beliefs. We find it easier to accept than to question. We pick and choose the information that validates our point, and dismiss that which doesn’t. If we do not acknowledge this bias, we fall into echo chambers, where one single perspective reverberates. 

Example: If you read an article on “why women do not deserve equal pay”, the algorithm will display ‘suggested’ articles on the same. This will wrongly embed the notion into your mind. What you may not know is, the article was written by a misogynist who has low credibility. 

Being unaware of all these factors, you have now formulated a deep-rooted opinion that may affect how you do things, how you behave with the women at your workplace, and so on.

 

Protect yourself from Social media manipulation

We expect the government and these platforms to safeguard our interests. However, there are things we can do to make sure we don’t fall prey to such manipulations:

1. Be aware of what you’re reading or consuming. Make sure to verify the sources of the information.

2. Be aware of your own confirmation bias and acknowledge it.

3. Minimize the amount of personal information you put out. Make yourself less susceptible to online risks.

4. Read and understand the terms of privacy before joining any social media platform.

This can be intimidating, but with the right information at hand, you can and should safeguard yourself!