Media Research Center: X/Twitter Algorithm Favors Vice President Kamala Harris over J.D. VanceLucas Nolan 16 Jul 2024
A recent study by MRC Free Speech America has uncovered a significant disparity in how X’s algorithm treats Vice President Kamala Harris’s account compared to potential Republican vice presidential candidates, raising questions about the platform’s commitment to unbiased content distribution.
According to a new study from MRC Free Speech America, the algorithm of the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, appears to favor Vice President Kamala Harris (D) over Trump VP pick J.D. Vance and former potential Republican running mates. This finding, published by MRC Free Speech America researchers, utilized X’s open-source algorithm and its AI chatbot Grok to analyze the platform’s content distribution patterns.
The study’s results indicate a clear advantage for Harris in terms of reach and visibility on the platform. Researchers found that Harris enjoys a visibility score of 79.53 out of 100, significantly higher than those of Republican contenders. For comparison, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) received a visibility score of 70.5, while North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum scored 62.87, and Sen. JD Vance (R-OH) scored 58.12.
These scores are derived from four core metrics used by X’s algorithm: Mass Appeal (diversity of followers), Reputation (purported reliability), Toxicity (potentially offensive content or perceived harmfulness), and Follower (the account’s follower retention). Each category is weighted differently in determining an account’s overall visibility score, which directly impacts its reach on the platform.
The disparity in scores translates to a significant advantage for Harris, with a 9-point lead over Rubio, a 16-point lead over Burgum, and a 21.4-point lead over Vance. This boost in visibility comes despite Harris’s record of posting content that has been fact-checked or disputed on the platform.
Notably, the study found that Harris consistently violates the algorithm’s criteria for censorship but appears to be shielded by the platform. She has used X to spread information that has been challenged by fact-checkers and made vitriolic attacks against Republicans, yet continues to receive high credibility ratings from X’s algorithms.
more
https://www.breitbart.com/tech/2024/07/16/media-research-center-x-twitter-algorithm-favors-vice-president-kamala-harris-over-j-d-vance/
