Do social media platforms really bias right-wing content in 'For You' feeds?
The narrative that social media platforms promote more right-wing content than left-wing content has gained traction, particularly following events like the 2020 U.S. election and Trump's victory in 2024. Media outlets, such as The New York Times , have reported on the "ascendancy of social platforms for the right," noting the popularity of platforms like Truth Social and Gab among conservative users. More recently, TechCrunch highlighted new "research" that supported similar claims. This framing suggests a platform bias, but the underlying mechanics tell a different story. Social media platforms operate on algorithms designed to maximize user engagement, prioritizing content with high interaction rates. Research from WIRED in 2021 found that far-right pages on Facebook had the highest levels of engagement per follower compared to other news sources, indicating that user behavior, not platform intent, drives visibility. This higher engagement could stem fro...