The Misconceptions of Social Media Polarization

Common beliefs about social media's role in political polarization, such as echo chambers, foreign misinformation campaigns, and algorithmic radicalization, are often misleading. Research highlights that engaging with opposing viewpoints on social media does not typically lead to moderation; rather, it can push individuals toward more extreme positions. For example, one study found that participants, when exposed to bots portraying opposing views, often became more extreme instead of more moderate. Moreover, foreign misinformation has shown to have little impact on altering people's beliefs about social issues, challenging the notion that outside influences are primarily to blame for polarization.