Young users on TikTok, Instagram and X are exposed to significantly more right-wing political content than left-wing material, according to a new study by the Finnish think tank Sitra shared with Euractiv.
The research examined social media feeds of users aged 18 to 24 in France, Romania and Finland, finding that right-leaning political content appeared on average 58 per cent more frequently than left-leaning posts.
Findings of the study
Sitra reported that many social media feeds were often “dominated by a single partisan or ideological viewpoint”, even when users had not expressed clear political interests. According to the study, right-wing content was the most prevalent across the platforms examined.
Researchers also found that even when test accounts created for the study signalled interest in left-wing politics, the platforms still recommended a substantial amount of right-leaning political material.
Example of promoted political content
One example cited in the study involved a widely shared TikTok video featuring Jordan Bardella, leader of France’s far-right National Rally party. The clip included an artificial intelligence-generated voiceover praising Bardella and describing him in the caption as a “symbol of unbounded patriotism”.
Concerns over algorithms and content
Ilkka Räsänen, head of EU affairs at Sitra, said that exposure to political content online could support democratic engagement, but added that platforms should provide greater transparency about how algorithms recommend material to younger users.
He also raised broader concerns about the type of content commonly promoted on social media platforms. Previous research, he noted, has shown that feeds often feature problematic material such as disinformation, hate speech and conspiracy theories.
Growth of AI-generated political material
Although the study found relatively few examples of clear disinformation, the researchers observed that many feeds were dominated by opinion-based content that was difficult to verify.
They also identified extremist content, frequently involving AI-generated videos, that did not breach community guidelines and therefore remained online. Räsänen said the use of artificial intelligence tools such as voice synthesis and deepfakes in political content is increasing.
EU regulatory framework
Sitra’s report recommends closer coordination between enforcement of the European Union’s Digital Services Act (DSA) and the newer AI Act to ensure clear labelling and traceability of AI-generated political material.
Under the DSA, large online platforms including TikTok, Instagram and X are required to mitigate systemic risks, including risks to democratic processes.
The rules also require companies to provide transparency about how their recommendation systems operate.
The European Commission has been investigating X since 2023 over concerns related to its recommender systems and the possible amplification of illegal or harmful content. The investigation is ongoing.
Source: Euractiv