A recent study by MRC Free Speech America has uncovered a significant disparity in how X’s algorithm treats Vice President Kamala Harris’s account compared to potential Republican vice presidential candidates, raising questions about the platform’s commitment to unbiased content distribution.
According to a new study from MRC Free Speech America, the algorithm of the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, appears to favor Vice President Kamala Harris (D) over Trump VP pick J.D. Vance and former potential Republican running mates. This finding, published by MRC Free Speech America researchers, utilized X’s open-source algorithm and its AI chatbot Grok to analyze the platform’s content distribution patterns.
The study’s results indicate a clear advantage for Harris in terms of reach and visibility on the platform. Researchers found that Harris enjoys a visibility score of 79.53 out of 100, significantly higher than those of Republican contenders. For comparison, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) received a visibility score of 70.5, while North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum scored 62.87, and Sen. JD Vance (R-OH) scored 58.12.
These scores are derived from four core metrics used by X’s algorithm: Mass Appeal (diversity of followers), Reputation (purported reliability), Toxicity (potentially offensive content or perceived harmfulness), and Follower (the account’s follower retention). Each category is weighted differently in determining an account’s overall visibility score, which directly impacts its reach on the platform.
The disparity in scores translates to a significant advantage for Harris, with a 9-point lead over Rubio, a 16-point lead over Burgum, and a 21.4-point lead over Vance. This boost in visibility comes despite Harris’s record of posting content that has been fact-checked or disputed on the platform.
Notably, the study found that Harris consistently violates the algorithm’s criteria for censorship but appears to be shielded by the platform. She has used X to spread information that has been challenged by fact-checkers and made vitriolic attacks against Republicans, yet continues to receive high credibility ratings from X’s algorithms.
For instance, Harris has defended President Biden’s cognitive abilities, made claims about job creation that required context from X’s Community Notes, and asserted that the Biden administration’s policies have reduced inflation – a claim disputed by fact-checkers. She has also made statements about Trump’s stance on Social Security and Medicare that have been fact-checked by media outlets.
In contrast, the potential Republican vice presidential candidates face more stringent algorithmic treatment. According to X’s metrics, Burgum and Vance face particularly harsh restrictions, indicating their reach could be largely limited on the platform.
This algorithmic bias raises questions about X’s commitment to providing an unbiased platform for political discourse. Elon Musk, the owner of X, has previously pledged to protect freedom of speech on the platform and create an even playing field for all users. However, the study’s findings suggest that remnants of the platform’s previous operational model may still be influencing content distribution.
The implications of this algorithmic favoritism extend beyond mere visibility. As the 2024 presidential election approaches, such disparities in reach could potentially impact fundraising efforts, voter outreach, and the overall dissemination of political messages.
MRC’s methodology for this study involved prompting Grok AI with specific questions to ascertain visibility scores for Vice President Harris and three of Trump’s rumored vice presidential candidates between June 7 and June 25. Researchers then calculated average scores across all four criteria used by the algorithm to determine X’s visibility scoring process.
To understand how X weighted each of the four categories in determining a visibility score, MRC researchers conducted eight tests between July 1 and July 2. The resulting weighted percentages were: Mass Appeal (38 percent), Reputation (30 percent), Toxicity (21 percent), and Follow (11 percent).
This study follows a previous MRC report that revealed X was de-amplifying the accounts of Republican members of Congress while simultaneously boosting those of Democrats, further highlighting concerns about potential political bias in the platform’s algorithms.
Read more at MRC Free Speech here.
Lucas Nolan is a reporter for Breitbart News covering issues of free speech and online censorship.
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