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PNAS Study Finds X Algorithm Amplifies Democratic Ragebait

8/19/2026

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Summary

Story summary

Ziv Epstein and colleagues published a PNAS study that found X’s feed algorithm optimizes for engagement, delivering ragebait to Democratic users.
In 2024, the study logged feeds of 715 X users and found a correlation with Schwartz Theory values; only 6.8% of interactions were replies and outrage-bait was amplified for Democrats.
X executive Nikita Bier said a 15× boost to the reply predictor cut ragebait by an order of magnitude.

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Story summary

Ziv Epstein and colleagues published a PNAS study that found X’s feed algorithm optimizes for engagement, delivering ragebait to Democratic users.
In 2024, the study logged feeds of 715 X users and found a correlation with Schwartz Theory values; only 6.8% of interactions were replies and outrage-bait was amplified for Democrats.
X executive Nikita Bier said a 15× boost to the reply predictor cut ragebait by an order of magnitude.