❓WHAT HAPPENED: Researchers say TikTok’s algorithm systematically boosts pro-Zohran Mamdani content and suppresses pro-Andrew Cuomo content in New York City’s mayoral race.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Spring AI, led by CTO Yehonatan Dodeles, conducted the research; TikTok’s algorithm is under scrutiny.
📍WHEN & WHERE: Findings were announced on October 21 via X and published on Medium; the issue pertains to TikTok’s influence in the New York City mayoral elections.
💬KEY QUOTE: “Our new research suggests TikTok’s algorithm systematically boosts pro-Mamdani and anti-Cuomo content in NYC’s mayoral race.” – Yehonatan Dodeles
🎯IMPACT: Raises concerns about social media’s role in influencing political opinions and the potential weaponization of algorithms.
Researchers from Spring AI claim that TikTok’s recommendation algorithm is favoring content supporting the Democrats’ socialist New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani while suppressing posts that back former governor Andrew Cuomo. The company’s chief technology officer, Yehonatan Dodeles, announced the findings on X, referring to the phenomenon as “algorithmic steering.”
“Our new research suggests TikTok’s algorithm systematically boosts pro-Mamdani and anti-Cuomo content in NYC’s mayoral race,” Dodeles wrote. The researchers identified “Excessive Publicity” videos, which are posts that receive more exposure than they would have organically. About 17 percent of all videos displayed this kind of non-organic boost, according to the report. However, the effect was far more pronounced in political content, where 55 percent of videos were affected. Within that group, most promoted clips were either pro-Mamdani or anti-Cuomo, while pro-Cuomo content was suppressed below the baseline.
“These are preliminary findings and further research should be done, but the implications are huge,” Dodeles said. He warned that algorithmic steering could shape not only what users see but also what they believe, raising concerns about the manipulation of public opinion through social media.
Broader concerns about Chinese interference have been highlighted in recent reports, including Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) findings alleging attempts by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) to exploit mail-in ballots during the 2020 U.S. election. Other investigations have documented Beijing’s efforts to influence Western think tanks and policy groups as part of a wider “information-warfare” campaign.
Imagine by Eden, Janine, and Jim.
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