Do you ever feel like everyone on social media has a more extreme viewpoint than your own? We often blame social media companies for the cacophony of politically extreme opinions around us. After all, these companies are generally motivated to promote the most emotionally potent and attention-grabbing content and perspectives.
But my colleagues and I have conducted research that suggests these platforms’ users share some of the responsibility. In several studies, we found that people prefer connecting with others who are, on average, more politically extreme than themselves.
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