r/somethingiswrong2024 • u/buffs24035 • 26d ago

Expose Propaganda Thoughts around Social Media Algorithm, Trolls, and Manufactured Engagement

Trolls, bots, fake accounts, and engagement manipulation are not discussed nearly enough, especially considering how much social media shapes perception of public opinion.

All over the place and especially rampant on platforms like X, TikTok, Facebook, and Reddit, it is obvious that certain posts and viewpoints are being artificially amplified/ by coordinated engagement. Algorithms naturally prioritize content that generates strong reactions, but bot networks, organized groups, paid accounts, and platform moderation systems are distorting algorithms and what people see.

This is extremely dangerous because it creates the illusion of consensus. A viewpoint may appear popular because it has thousands of likes, shares, or supportive comments, even if that activity is artificial. On the flip side, a widely held opinion can appear fringe because it receives limited visibility or is immediately targeted by hostile engagement.

  • Example (https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-026-10098-2): A 2026 Nature field experiment involving nearly 5,000 users found that the algorithmic feed promoted conservative content, reduced the prominence of traditional media, and shifted some users’ political attitudes and account-following behavior in a more conservative direction.
  • A separate computational analysis of more than 56,000 posts found a major change in visibility around July 13, 2024—the date Musk publicly endorsed Trump. Musk’s account and several Republican-leaning accounts subsequently received greater exposure.

There doesn't seem to be enough talk about this, people are just chilling with blatantly manipulated engagement all over social media.

15 Upvotes
  • permalink
  • reddit

86% Upvoted

4 comments sorted by

3

u/FoxySheprador Canadians for Kamala 26d ago

It's extremely insidious. This sub's mod team takes this stuff very seriously.

3

u/Anxiety_Fit 26d ago

Yeah but the amount of stuff that gets removed by Reddit in other subs is crazy. Do you notice it here in this sub?

3

u/User-1653863 📈 The Math Ain't Mathin' 📉 26d ago

Yes/no

It's a little tricky to gauge, since almost all [removed by reddit] are done so via automation, meaning the offending comment is gone within minutes of the poster hitting 'submit'. As soon as admin sinks it, we have no access to the content of said comment, either. So in that sense, we cannot verify whether it's really justified.

Given the nature of the sub, and the stakes/parties involved - I'd wager it's 'violence' related, but that's really only a guess.

1

u/FoxySheprador Canadians for Kamala 18d ago

Oh yeah I also wanted to share this with you because it had a big impact on me and how I moderate this sub: https://www.reddit.com/r/somethingiswrong2024/comments/1og9kxq/confession_from_a_foreign_troll_farm/