Anger Drives Engagement

Spreading negative news about political opponents significantly increases its likelihood of going viral, with shares increasing by 67%. Emotional responses, particularly the angry emoji, play a pivotal role in this dynamics. Facebook's algorithm favors posts that evoke strong emotional reactions, particularly anger, which in turn amplifies their reach across users' news feeds. Despite intentions to foster community, the platform's focus on engagement leads to an environment where negativity thrives. This short-term engagement strategy contributes to long-term disillusionment with social media as users often seek to avoid angry or sad content, preferring to disengage from news via these platforms.