Not impressed with a political post on X? Elon Musk’s social media platform may show you more of those, says new study

A new study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences has revealed how X's algorithm prioritises user engagement over all else. Researchers found that the algorithm serves more provocative content to certain users, leading to patterns of misaligned values in the feeds. For instance, if you don't like the CJP movement, you comment on a post about it, and X will show you more content from the founder and similar individuals.

Democrats on X reportedly receive more "ragebait" than other political groups, although reasons for this disparity remain unclear. The study involved 715 active American users of X, conducted between September and October 2024. Researchers used Schwartz Theory, which presents values as a wheel featuring 19 distinct dimensions, to measure value misalignment.

Users followed accounts that generally reflected their personal values, but amplified content often contradicted these same stated values. When users encountered posts that provoked anger, they sometimes responded with anger, which X interprets as valuable engagement and continues to serve more content in that direction. Replies represented just 6.8% of interactions overall, but carried disproportionate influence over algorithmic behavior.

The study suggests that this feedback loop encourages outrage and could create isolated content bubbles, posing genuine risks to society. However, researchers also emphasized the importance of intentional content consumption practices, encouraging users to reflect deliberately on desired content before engaging with provocative posts.