A study published in the Journal of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States indicates that the “For You” recommended stream of the X platform may bring to the fore elements that are inconsistent with user self-expressed values. The study covered 715 active users in the United States and found that the deviation was more evident among Democrat users.

Research tracking 715 users

The research team was from MIT, Michigan University, Johns Hopkins University, Stanford University and Yale University. The object of the study installed browser extensions in September and October 2024 for the collection of posts in its two "For You" and "Following" streams.

Researchers compare recommended content with self-expressed values of users. The results show that X ' s amplified content as a whole is negatively associated with user values, and that users are proactive about the content of account issuances, usually closer to their own position.

Democrat users are more visible.

According to the data given by the study, the magnification received by Democrats has a coefficient of -0.229, and by Republicans - 0.041, relative to their self-expressed values. The more negative the value, the more inconsistent the representative content and the user position.

  • Democratic Party users: -0.229.
  • Republican users: -0.041
  • All amplified: -0.150

The team then conducted a re-emergence test, and the results still show a similar division: the Democratic Party users were -0.199 and the Republicans 0.0372.

Response interaction may enhance delivery

The study concluded that part of the difference could be derived from response behaviour. The algorithm may recognize this interaction as a signal of interest and, in turn, send more similar content, if users frequently rebut the message that contradicts their own position.

However, the study does not further distinguish between the posts that triggered such “value mismatch” responses, with the real or automated accounts behind them, where the role of robots remains unclear.

Additional information:Following the release of the study, Mask responded that X's algorithm was “pussy” and still needed significant improvement, but he said that the outside world could see in real time how the platform could try to improve the system.