Twitter:
An August 2021 study by Yale University as reported by the Washington Post found Twitter users learn over time to tweet more “expressions of moral outrage” when they generate more likes and retweets. Platform designers may not intend to encourage moral outrage, but they are designed to maximize profit. Profit comes from user engagement. Outrage provoking posts result in high engagement.
Where do people get their news?
https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2021/01/12/more-than-eight-in-ten-americans-get-news-from-digital-devices/
This poll shows many people use social media for their news. A few facts about social media: their only goal is to make money. The built-in algorithms are designed to maximize attention which leads to profits. They are not meant to be conveyors of truth. I highly recommend the documentary title Social Dilemma on Netflix
Advice from Berkley Professor of Digital Media Hany Farid:
Get social media apps off your phone.
Control “Doomscrolling” because it can lead to “rabbit holes” of misinformation.
People read what algorithms feed them, based on previous clicks, so social media does not promote a variety of sources or viewpoints.
Use social media as intended, not for news.
Know the difference between pundits and journalists.
Deep fakes are not factual. They are manipulations by AI (artificial intelligence). Audio and video can be faked. Check yourself about what you want to believe.
Misinformation travels from the fringe to the mainstream through Facebook, TicTok, Twitter, YouTube, etc.
Please fact check before sharing information found on social media. Slow down – don’t spread just anything that looks tantalizing. Watch the Netflix documentary about social media titled Social Dilemma.