Congress is way behind on algorithmic misinformation
Photo by Evelyn Hockstein-Pool / Getty Images One of the scariest concerns about social media is the idea of algorithmic misinformation - that the recommendation systems built into platforms like Facebook and YouTube could be quietly elevating the most harmful and disruptive content on the network. But at a Senate hearing Tuesday titled Algorithms and Amplification: How Social Media Platforms' Design Choices Shape our Discourse and Our Minds,'' lawmakers didn't appear any closer to finding a solution for the violence platforms like Facebook have internally recognized they cause in the real world.
At the top, Sen. Chris Coons (D-DE) said there's nothing inherently wrong" with how the testifying companies, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube, leverage algorithms to keep users engaged on...