this post was submitted on 20 Feb 2025
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Recommendation algorithms operated by social media giants TikTok and X have shown evidence of substantial far-right political bias in Germany ahead of a federal election that takes place Sunday, according to new research carried out by Global Witness.

The non-government organization (NGO) undertook an analysis of social media content displayed to new users via algorithmically sorted “For You” feeds — finding both platforms skewed heavily toward amplifying content that favors the far-right AfD party in algorithmically programmed feeds.

Global Witness’ tests identified the most extreme bias on TikTok, where 78% of the political content that was algorithmically recommended to its test accounts, and came from accounts the test users did not follow, was supportive of the AfD party. (It notes this figure far exceeds the level of support the party is achieving in current polling, where it attracts backing from around 20% of German voters.)

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[–] [email protected] 18 points 3 weeks ago (4 children)

Yeah well TikTok was "saved" by Trump and a right winger has a 14% share. I've definitely seen more questionable comments and videos since it got "saved".

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[–] [email protected] 29 points 3 weeks ago (6 children)

There's a German game called Wolf. Where two people are the wolf and the rest are the villagers. Each turn the two wolves open their eyes and pick a villager to kill, while the villagers keep their eyes shut. Then everyone guesses who the wolves are. If both wolves are caught, the game is over. Almost always, the wolves win.

Moral of the story, an informed minority will almost always defeat an uninformed majority.

I hope it doesn't come to this in Germany..

[–] [email protected] 8 points 3 weeks ago (3 children)

Interesting, in the USA we call that game “warewolf”.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 3 weeks ago (5 children)

In Germany, we also call this game 'werewolf'. Never heard of 'wolf' alone, except for the animal.

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[–] [email protected] 18 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

What about IG? Every single sponsored post is some kind of grift: zionism, religion, prosperity gospel, scientology. It's nonstop right-wing garbage.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Don’t forget all the ads for weapons and drugs!

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[–] [email protected] 71 points 3 weeks ago (10 children)

Legalation banning algorithmic feeds and replacing them with chronological posts from users you subscribe to is imperative to fixing our politics and improving the mental health of young people.

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[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 weeks ago
[–] [email protected] 7 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

techcrunch . . . I know you're not new, and I know it's difficult being any sort of news platform whatsoever but. Honestly.

Does anyone need this gently presented as if it's any sort of revelation? You know what's going on here. We know what's going on here. Why present this this way?

This is like "Survey of local residents indicates many Jews may not have been seen for weeks"

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[–] [email protected] 27 points 3 weeks ago (3 children)

Even all the way back in 2021, an internal study by Twitter — as X used to be called before Elon Musk bought and rebranded the platform — found that its algorithms promote more right-leaning content than left.

(Except from article cited in above paragraph):

Twitter’s research said that Germany was the only country that didn’t experience the right-leaning algorithm bias. It could be related to Germany’s agreement with Facebook, Twitter, and Google to remove hate speech within 24 hours.

Huh. Sounds like things got really bad quickly for German Twits. Did the hate speech policy get rescinded when Musk took over? Also, I wonder if TikTok got worse after whatever deal they made to keep operating in the US - anecdotally I've heard US feeds have been pushing more alt-right content since then.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 3 weeks ago

It’s a final push for he final solution. Almost a putsch.

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[–] [email protected] -3 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (3 children)

What is the purpose of Tiktok to push far-right propaganda? Would it be possible that it all comes from far-right producing far more content?

[–] [email protected] 6 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

I think it's a mix of these algorithms favouring things that get you to spend a lot of time on their apps and those things happen to be things like conspiracies, emotional appeals, and get rich quick schemes.

Think of a person that spends an unhealthy amount of time on social media. That's their ideal user and they are constantly trying to funnel their users down paths that lead them into becoming that person.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago)

That seems to be the most logical explanation, indeed.

[–] [email protected] 23 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

The purpose is to destabilize.

[–] [email protected] -3 points 3 weeks ago

Never blame on a conspiracy what is better explained by capitalism.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Probably that the rise of fascism weekend the west.

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[–] [email protected] 94 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

I literally clicked on a Twitter link accidentally after months of not visiting it, immediately got far-right propaganda. Obviously.

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