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Research finds Facebook’s algorithm update in 2018 boosted local GOP groups

Allen left the company in 2019, and co-founded Integrity Institute. This think tank is aimed at building a better internet.

Allen stated that it was not surprising, in a telephone interview. “Platforms optimize to different things and some actors will be able to react better than others.”

Allen stated that the new research and the timing of algorithm changes as well as reports from international political organizations raised “a red flag”.

He said, “The platform should consider that seriously.”

The Miami University research did not analyze the tone of the content. It is unclear whether local Republican Party pages were rewarded for their existing negative views or if they noticed increased engagement for polarizing content and produced more, as reported by the Facebook internal memo.

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Even though local Republican Parties had greater reach, the GOP’s national messaging was still rooted in an ideologically opposing argument: That Facebook was somehow blocking conservative messages and limiting their ability to connect with supporters.

A 2020 Pew Research Center survey found that 90 percent of Republicans believed social media platforms deliberately censor political opinions.

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