Negativity trumps positivity on social media, research suggests

22 June 2021, 07:14

A picture of a mobile phone with social media apps
Researchers looked at social media posts from across the political spectrum (. Picture: PA

Posts about political opponents on Facebook attracted more than twice as many angry face emojis than heart-related emojis garnered on positive posts.

Political social media posts are more likely to go viral if they criticise an opponent rather than support a colleague or a view from their side of politics, a study has suggested.

Researchers studied nearly three million tweets and Facebook posts from US media outlets and politicians and found those mocking rivals received twice as many shares as those backing a person or standpoint from their own side of the political divide.

The findings of the University of Cambridge study, published in journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, also show posts about political opponents on Facebook attracted more than twice as many angry face emojis than heart-related emojis garnered on positive posts.

Steve Rathje, a Gates Cambridge Scholar and author of the study, said: “Slamming the political opposition was the most powerful predictor of a post going viral out of all those we measured. This was the case for both Republican and Democrat-leaning media outlets and politicians on Facebook and Twitter.

“Social media keeps us engaged as much as possible to sell advertising. This business model has ended up rewarding politicians and media companies for producing divisive content in which they dunk on perceived enemies.

“Our study suggests that out-party hate is much better at capturing our attention online than in-party love. This may be feeding a dangerous political climate.”

By Press Association

More Technology News

See more More Technology News

AI warning

Essays written with ChatGPT feature repetition of words and ideas – study

A broadband router

Big four broadband firms beaten by smaller rivals in latest Which? survey

A person pressing on the Tik Tok logo on the screen of a smartphone

TikTok to launch online election centres to counter misinformation

A person using a laptop

Up to eight million UK jobs at risk from AI, report says

Smartphone showing apps

One in six adolescents have experienced cyberbullying, global study finds

An Uber Eats driver

Uber Eats driver wins payout over discriminatory facial recognition checks

Rishi Sunak visits Cumbria

Sunak says UK ‘more robust’ on China than most allies

Chinese President state visit – Preparations

Minister calls China ‘security threat’ after UK and US blame Beijing for hacking

China

UK and US accuse China of ‘malicious’ global cyber attacks

A hand on a laptop

Tougher action needed to combat copycat banking websites, says Which?

Dowden

Dowden guarantees UK elections will be safe from Chinese cyber attacks

A woman’s hand pressing a key of a laptop keyboard

Cyber security agency says China behind ‘malicious’ cyber attacks on UK

A young girl uses the TikTok app on a smartphone

TikTok Youth Council holds first meetings on better online safety for teenagers

Margrethe Vestager

EU opens competition investigations into Apple, Google and Meta

Social Media Stock

Some parents coming to regard online harassment of girls as ‘normal’ – report

historisches Werbeplakat fuer den Spielfilm “Terminator Jugdement Day” mit Arnold Schwarzenegger, Berlin.

Hollywood has ‘helped to fan flames of fear about AI’, peers hear