How Social Media Splits Societies In Half — Political Filter Bubbles

How algorithms affect your political beliefs

In around 2010, social media appeared in all of our lives. And ever since then, different societies around the world have become more and more polarised.

In America, the country was split directly in half as Donald Trump became President of the United States. In Brazil, the country was also split down the middle as the country elected controversial present Jair Bolasanaro. One the other side of the planet, India has seen increased political polarisation.

Why is it that so many democratic societies seem to be tearing themselves into two separate tribes? Why does it feel like each of our countries are now split into two distinct “teams”?

What one factor is consistent amongst these societies from different parts of the world with radically different cultures? Social media. Social media appeared, and then societies became more politically polarised. Is this a coincidence? Unlikely.

It’s true that political polarisation has happened throughout history, before the invention of social media, and that there are many possible factors that cause political polarisation. Yet the effects of social media on politics may be far more impactful than you previously…