Major
Political Science
Anticipated Graduation Year
2023
Access Type
Open Access
Abstract
Social media platforms use interest-based algorithms that reflect an individual’s beliefs and opinions back at them in order to keep them engaged on the platform. It creates a funnel-like experience that can lead to more and more extreme content. This study analyzes the relationship between the amount and type of social media use and individuals’ attitude toward extremist ideas. Results from 620 survey participants indicate a correlation between viewing and engaging with politically radical content on social media and an agreement with politically radical ideas. This study also shows a general acceptance of politically radical content on social media platforms.
Faculty Mentors & Instructors
Michael Schumacher
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 License.
Political Radicalism on Social Media
Social media platforms use interest-based algorithms that reflect an individual’s beliefs and opinions back at them in order to keep them engaged on the platform. It creates a funnel-like experience that can lead to more and more extreme content. This study analyzes the relationship between the amount and type of social media use and individuals’ attitude toward extremist ideas. Results from 620 survey participants indicate a correlation between viewing and engaging with politically radical content on social media and an agreement with politically radical ideas. This study also shows a general acceptance of politically radical content on social media platforms.