69
/ 100
Mostly True
United States
X's algorithm prioritizes engagement, often showing users content they dislike, impacting Democrats more. Replying to posts has a significant effect on the algorithm, and the former head of product confirmed past algorithmic preferences for replies.
Infact verdict: Mostly True (69/100).
The claims about X's algorithm prioritizing engagement and serving more ragebait to Democrats are supported by a study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. This study indicates that the algorithm prioritizes engagement, often by showing users content they dislike, which aligns with the claim. The claim that replying has an outsized impact on the algorithm is supported by evidence showing that replying significantly boosts engagement. The statement about Democrat users confronting value-misaligned content is corroborated by the study's findings on feedback loops. Lastly, the claim about the former head of product confirming past algorithmic preferences for replies is supported by statements from Nikita Bier, although he notes this is no longer true.
How is this score determined? →
Fact-checked from
X's Algorithm Feeds Off Ragebait and Impacts Democrats More, Study Finds
404media.co ↗
Individual claims
88
True
Technology
X's algorithm prioritizes engagement above all else when generating a user's For You Page.
The claim is supported by a study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, which found that X's algorithm prioritizes engagement above all else. This is corroborated by multiple sources, including Slashdot and Election Law Blog, which discuss the study's findings.
Fact Check Score
None
Fact Check Weight
0
Web Consensus Score
85
Web Consensus Weight
40
Source Quality Score
80
Source Quality Weight
20
Llm Reasoning Score
75
Llm Reasoning Weight
40
Llm Reasoning Score Raw
75
Weighted Total
88
Evidence Summary
Study in PNAS supports claim; corroborated by multiple sources.
66
Mostly True
Politics
X serves more ragebait to people who say they are Democrats.
The claim is supported by the same study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, which found that X serves more ragebait to Democrats. This is corroborated by multiple sources, including Slashdot and Election Law Blog, although the exact reason for this behavior is unclear.
Fact Check Score
None
Fact Check Weight
0
Web Consensus Score
75
Web Consensus Weight
40
Source Quality Score
70
Source Quality Weight
20
Llm Reasoning Score
65
Llm Reasoning Weight
40
Llm Reasoning Score Raw
65
Weighted Total
66
Evidence Summary
Study in PNAS supports claim; corroborated by multiple sources.
69
Mostly True
Technology
Replying is only a fraction of engagement but has an outsized impact on the algorithm.
The claim is supported by evidence indicating that replying significantly boosts engagement, which is a key factor in social media algorithms. This is corroborated by sources discussing the impact of replying on engagement metrics.
Fact Check Score
None
Fact Check Weight
0
Web Consensus Score
70
Web Consensus Weight
40
Source Quality Score
75
Source Quality Weight
20
Llm Reasoning Score
75
Llm Reasoning Weight
40
Llm Reasoning Score Raw
75
Weighted Total
69
Evidence Summary
Evidence supports claim; corroborated by multiple sources.
66
Mostly True
Politics
Democrat users confront value-misaligned content by replying to it, which the algorithm learns from.
The claim is supported by the study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, which describes a feedback loop where Democrat users reply to value-misaligned content, and the algorithm amplifies this behavior. This is corroborated by multiple sources.
Fact Check Score
None
Fact Check Weight
0
Web Consensus Score
70
Web Consensus Weight
40
Source Quality Score
70
Source Quality Weight
20
Llm Reasoning Score
70
Llm Reasoning Weight
40
Llm Reasoning Score Raw
70
Weighted Total
66
Evidence Summary
Study in PNAS supports claim; corroborated by multiple sources.
58
Mixed
Technology
X's former head of product confirmed the algorithm favored replies but this is no longer true.
The claim is supported by statements from Nikita Bier, X's former head of product, who confirmed that the algorithm once favored replies but no longer does. This is corroborated by multiple sources, including Slashdot and Engadget.
Fact Check Score
None
Fact Check Weight
0
Web Consensus Score
60
Web Consensus Weight
40
Source Quality Score
60
Source Quality Weight
20
Llm Reasoning Score
60
Llm Reasoning Weight
40
Llm Reasoning Score Raw
60
Weighted Total
58
Evidence Summary
Statements from former head of product support claim; corroborated by multiple sources.
