Social Media’s Funhouse Mirror: Distorting Reality, One Scroll at a Time
If social media reflects reality, why does it feel more like a circus of extremes?
Social media distorts our perception of reality by amplifying extreme voices while muting the silent majority. A mere 3% of accounts produce 33% of content, with 0.1% responsible for 80% of fake news.
Algorithms prioritize polarizing, emotional content, creating a skewed sense of social norms. This "funhouse mirror" effect fuels political divides, reinforces unrealistic beauty standards, and normalizes risky behaviors like binge drinking. It is time for change.
- Algorithms amplify engagement, not truth.
- Extreme minority shapes online "norms."
- Distorted norms harm mental health.
To untangle reality from social media’s illusions, how should we encourage platforms to prioritize nuance over noise?
Read the full article on The Social Identity & Morality Lab.
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