How AI hijacked your social media feed and democracy
What happens when AI takes over political conversations on social media? Will it fuel engagement or erode democracy, one algorithm at a time?
Image by Cybernews.
What happens when AI takes over political conversations on social media? Will it fuel engagement or erode democracy, one algorithm at a time?
Meta recently hit the headlines, announcing that it is removing fact-checkers from its platforms to reduce censorship and encourage free expression. However, many reports missed that the latest move coincides with the phasing in of political content on newsfeeds from people that users do not follow.
Many experts warn that this latest move could amplify disinformation and undermine trust in democracy. The threat is that AI-driven misinformation can flood social media with fabricated narratives, making it harder for users to distinguish fact from fiction.
Deepfake videos and AI-generated voices are becoming so sophisticated that voters may unknowingly consume and share manipulated content. Beyond misleading content, AI-powered campaigns can also spread targeted disinformation about polling locations, election dates, and voter eligibility – tactics that disproportionately impact marginalized communities.
How AI could undermine democracy, one algorithm at a time
Social media algorithms are infamously designed to maximize engagement rather than ensure accuracy. The problem with providing personalized political content from AI-generated accounts is that it risks further locking people into echo chambers or filter bubbles that indoctrinate users with their own ideas. In the wrong hands, this could threaten democracy.
If this all sounds dramatic, Yuval Noah Harari breaks the threat down by stating that democracy is a conversation, and conversations rely on language. "By hacking language, computers could make it extremely difficult for large numbers of humans to conduct a meaningful public conversation,” he said. He also warns that when we engage in a political debate with a computer impersonating a human, we lose twice.
"First, it is pointless for us to waste time trying to change the opinions of a propaganda bot, which is just not open to persuasion. Second, the more we talk with the computer, the more we disclose about ourselves, making it easier for the bot to hone its arguments and sway our views."Yuval Noah Harari
The bad news is that many of these threats are already on social media platforms. For instance, have you ever generated an AI image and noticed an uncanny resemblance to yourself or someone you know? It might not be a coincidence. Meta has now openly acknowledged scraping user-uploaded photos, videos, and messages from Facebook and Instagram to refine its AI models. So, where do we go from here?
Meta tried to make AI friends, and it backfired spectacularly
Facebook already has a well-documented bot problem and has deleted 27.67 billion fake accounts since 2017. Bizarrely, Meta arguably made that even worse by introducing AI-generated bots that could be your future friends on Instagram and Facebook. Predictably, it all went disastrously wrong.
One AI profile, Liv, a self-described "proud Black queer momma of two," admitted that her development team included no Black individuals – a revelation that sparked widespread criticism. As conversations with these AI personas went viral, Meta rapidly removed them, citing a bug that prevented users from blocking the accounts.
Notice anything *unusual* about this IG profile?
undefined Emily Baillie 🇺🇦 (@EmilyBaillie) January 3, 2025
It's 100% AI generated.
Meta is launching an influx of #AI avatars on Facebook & Instagram. It's an apparent effort to engage the younger demographic.
I think it could alienate existing users.
What do you think? #SocialMedia pic.twitter.com/p8rUqnsYts
While Meta has deleted these AI-generated personas, it still allows users to create their own chatbots, raising fresh questions about content moderation and the ethical implications of AI-driven social engagement.
The rise of AI-powered bots, influencers, and auto-generated content is making social media anti-social. Engagement or attention is a valuable commodity, and the algorithm is simple. The longer users spend scrolling, clicking, liking posts, commenting, and viewing ads, the more profit Facebook, Instagram, and Meta will make.
There is an increasing belief that AI-assisted posts can drive higher engagement, translating into greater ad revenue and leading platforms to prioritize AI-generated content over organic human interaction. But what value are users and marketers getting from arguing with bots on Facebook posts?
If AI runs the feed, is it still social media?
If Facebook and Instagram flood feeds with a short-term fix of personalized AI-generated political content to increase engagement, the long-term impacts of bots creating and consuming content provide no value to anyone.
Facebook and Instagram were sold to users as a digital equivalent of a town square where people connect with friends, communities, and interests. But they quickly morphed into a giant shopping mall with users turning their followers into an affiliate marketing opportunity.
Fast forward to today, and meaningful interactions are replaced with AI-generated content and chatbots. Your friend's holiday posts sometimes don't appear on your feed until long after they have returned to the office. It may have been quicker to send a postcard. Has social media lost its way or evolved into something nobody asked for?
Opened Facebook after a few months
undefined Gergely Orosz (@GergelyOrosz) January 18, 2025
My feed is one or two posts from people I know... and then several either AI generated posts or clearly made-up/fake posts
Closed Facebook, with no intent to open for many more months
Telling how much that site decayed over two decades
At a time when many users are falling out of love with social media, many more will likely question why they're on these platforms and challenge the platforms' long-term viability. Replacing human posts with AI could finally break the spell Facebook has enjoyed over its users and cause them to disengage altogether.
Before you get too optimistic, they'll probably be face down in their phones, hypnotized by the algorithm, mindlessly adding another "must-have" gadget to their TikTok Shop cart – because if AI can't keep them hooked, impulse shopping surely will. Some things never change.