Priya Nair
Computational social scientist at the Oxford Internet Institute, studying the effects of social media algorithms on political polarization and mental health.
February 18, 2026·8 min read
The Algorithm That Ate Democracy
Social media algorithms are designed to maximize engagement — and they are extraordinarily good at it. But the content that maximizes engagement tends to be emotionally provocative, divisive, and often false. The consequences for democracy, mental health, and social cohesion have been severe and are becoming clearer with each passing year.
TOPICS
social mediaalgorithmsmental healthdemocracytechnology ethics
