Are you a victim of negative information age manipulation without even knowing it? Discover how artificial intelligence subtly influences our reading choices and shapes our worldview.
Thanks to a transcontinental effort, new groundbreaking research has managed to shed unprecedented light on how artificial intelligence and emotional language influence our consumption of information. The study warns us of the potential dangers of this negative information age.
Did you know that just one negative word is enough to make a headline more likely to be clicked? Or conversely, that positive language decreases the likelihood of a click?
These researchers used an innovative approach combining text mining and sentiment analysis to dissect the mechanisms governing our information consumption. In other words, they first focused on collecting a large amount of data from news articles and headlines. Then, using sophisticated algorithms and cutting-edge artificial intelligence techniques, they meticulously analyzed this data to determine whether the overall tone of each text was positive, negative, or neutral.
Long before researchers proved the existence of a negative bias in information consumption, social media and some media companies had already identified and exploited this trend. Social media platform recommendation algorithms are designed to optimize user engagement by presenting attention-grabbing content. Recognizing our preference for negative information, it is important for these companies to work together to encourage balance in information consumption, thus promoting better understanding and open dialogue.
Up next: “How to protect yourself from AI-driven media fatigue”
Robertson, C.E., Pröllochs, N., Schwarzenegger, K. et al. Negativity drives online news consumption. Nat Hum Behav (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41562-023-01538-4
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