Shifting the balance of power

When people use social media, they are not always aware that they are the passive subjects of commercial transactions between the platform and advertisers involving their own personal data.

Users are also often unaware of how their news feed on social media is curated. Even people who are a...

In traditional markets, firms make goods to satisfy the preferences of consumers. But the market on social media and the internet exists to serve the needs of the advertisers, not the consumers. These markets sell information about their users to advertisers.

1. There must be greater transparency and more individual control of personal data.
2. Platforms must signal the quality of the information in a newsfeed so users can assess the risk of accessing it. “Endogenous” cues could alert us to emotionally charged...

There was a time when the internet was seen as a source of good. It propelled progressive social movements and set information free.

But today, the internet plays a vital role in steering mindsets and retreating democracy - from fake news bots to misinformation to conspiracy theories.

A strategy to maximize advertising revenue when the interests of the online platform do not align with the user's interests is to present users with surprising or sensational content to keep them engaged. A study by Mozilla researchers found that YouTube actively recommends sensational conten...