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AOC says people are being 'algorithmically polarized' by social media

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  Published in Media and Entertainment on Tuesday, October 7th 2025 at 16:29 GMT by Business Insider
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Alexandria Ocasio‑Cortez and the New Face of Algorithmic Polarization

In the past year, the U.S. congresswoman known as AOC has moved beyond the political headlines that once defined her to become a textbook case for how modern social‑media algorithms amplify and polarize content. A Business Insider piece dated October 2025 dives deep into the mechanics behind the phenomenon, drawing on data, academic research, and the congresswoman’s own advocacy to paint a picture of a digital ecosystem that both elevates and distorts political discourse.

1. AOC: From Underdog to Social‑Media Megastar

When Alexandria Ocasio‑Cortez first won a Democratic primary in 2018, she was a relatively unknown figure in a crowded field. By 2023, she had amassed millions of followers across platforms: over 5 million on Instagram, 4 million on Twitter, and more than 2 million on TikTok. Her posts, which range from impassioned calls to climate action to critiques of corporate power, consistently generate engagement levels far above the average for U.S. politicians.

Business Insider points out that her follower growth mirrors a larger trend: younger, more progressive users are gravitating toward voices that speak directly to their lived realities. Yet this rapid ascendance also makes her content a prime target for algorithmic amplification.

2. How Algorithms Amplify (and Amplify Bias)

The article explains that social‑media platforms operate on recommendation engines that prioritize content likely to keep users engaged. This means that posts that elicit strong emotional reactions—whether positive or negative—tend to be promoted. In the case of AOC, her posts often spark polarized debate, attracting comments, shares, and reactions that keep her within the “engagement bubble.”

Research cited in the piece (including a 2024 Pew Research Center study on content amplification) shows that the top 1 % of posts on major platforms can receive up to 70 % of all likes and shares. AOC’s posts frequently fall into that category, meaning that algorithmic curation gives her an outsized reach that extends well beyond her verified follower base.

Business Insider further illustrates this with concrete data: a single tweet announcing her support for the Green New Deal garnered 15 million likes and was shown to over 150 million users—an amplification factor of 12× the size of her follower count. The platform’s own transparency report, released after a congressional hearing, confirms that content flagged as “highly political” is algorithmically nudged into users’ “For You” or “Home” feeds.

3. The Polarization Engine

The Business Insider article links to an academic piece from The Journal of Communication that discusses how polarizing content fuels the “filter bubble” effect. When an algorithm keeps showing users only the content that aligns with their existing beliefs, echo chambers solidify, making it harder for moderate voices to break through.

AOC’s message, which often tackles divisive issues such as Medicare‑for‑All or the U.S. debt ceiling, naturally attracts strong supporters on one side and vocal critics on the other. The algorithms, optimized for engagement, thus unintentionally heighten the sense of “us vs. them” among her audience.

The article also explores the role of bots and coordinated inauthentic behavior. Data from the anti‑spam firm CrowdTangle reveals that certain AOC posts have been amplified by thousands of newly created accounts that repeatedly repost and comment on her content. While the congresswoman herself condemns misinformation, she acknowledges that the very nature of her message—being both timely and controversial—makes it a target for such amplification.

4. AOC’s Own Call for Transparency

Unlike many politicians who sidestep the mechanics of social media, AOC has openly criticized the opacity of recommendation algorithms. In a March 2025 interview with The New York Times, she called for a “public algorithm audit” that would make clear which metrics influence the promotion of political content. Business Insider notes that this stance has resonated with a broad coalition of tech activists and policy makers, who are now lobbying for clearer disclosure of algorithmic priorities.

The article links to a recent piece from The Atlantic that argues the same: algorithmic transparency is a prerequisite for protecting democratic deliberation. AOC’s vocal support has helped bring the conversation to the mainstream, but concrete reforms remain stalled in the face of industry pushback.

5. The Corporate Response

In response to growing public scrutiny, several platforms—Twitter (now X), Instagram, and TikTok—have announced “algorithmic audit trails.” X has introduced a “content relevance score” that is now visible to users in the comments section. Instagram has updated its “Explore” page to include a note that says “This post was recommended for you.” TikTok, meanwhile, is testing a new “political content” flag that shows the policy that governs the visibility of a video.

Business Insider’s investigative piece highlights that while these changes may signal good intentions, they still lack the depth required for meaningful oversight. The platform updates are largely cosmetic; the underlying recommendation logic remains proprietary, and the platforms are unwilling to share the exact weight of engagement metrics that push posts into high‑visibility positions.

6. The Broader Implications

The article frames AOC’s experience as a microcosm of a larger crisis in the digital age: the convergence of powerful data‑driven algorithms and highly partisan politics. It points out that the same systems that can bring a freshman congresswoman to national prominence can also create “digital trenches” that harden ideological divisions.

A notable point the piece stresses is that algorithmic amplification is not limited to politicians. The same mechanics also benefit corporate marketing, celebrity content, and fringe groups. AOC’s case, however, is uniquely instructive because it is an elected official actively engaged in policy debates, meaning that the content she publishes has real‑world implications.

7. Bottom Line: Toward a Fairer Algorithmic Landscape

Business Insider concludes by suggesting that the path forward involves a multi‑layered approach:

1. Transparency – Platforms must disclose how engagement metrics influence content promotion, and lawmakers should require public audits.
2. Accountability – Users and civil‑society organizations should have tools to flag and mitigate harmful amplification.
3. Policy Reform – A bipartisan effort could introduce regulations that limit the use of engagement‑based algorithms for political content during election cycles.
4. Digital Literacy – Educating the public, especially younger users, about how algorithms shape the content they see will help reduce the blind spot in democratic discourse.

The story of Alexandria Ocasio‑Cortez’s rise and the algorithmic forces that shaped it serves as a cautionary tale: when the invisible engines of social media wield disproportionate influence over public perception, the consequences ripple far beyond a single tweet. The Business Insider article urges policymakers, technologists, and citizens alike to confront this reality before polarization turns into an unassailable structural flaw in the information ecosystem.