Social media algorithms prioritize content that generates high engagement, measured by likes, shares, and comments. Research has shown that emotionally provocative content—particularly content inducing anger or outrage—generates significantly higher engagement than neutral informational content. Some researchers warn that this creates incentives for increasingly extreme content, potentially contributing to political polarization.
The passage suggests that
optimization for certain metrics may produce unintended social consequences
social media companies intentionally promote political extremism
all social media content is emotionally provocative
engagement metrics accurately measure content quality
Correct Answer: A
Choice A is the best answer. Optimizing for engagement may incentivize extreme content.
- Context clues: Algorithms prioritize engagement; extreme content generates more engagement; consequence may be polarization.
- Meaning: The metric (engagement) may encourage unintended outcomes (extremism).
- Verify: The "incentives for increasingly extreme content" weren't designed but emerge from the system.
💡 Strategy: When a system optimizes for one thing and produces another effect, infer unintended consequences.
Choice B is incorrect because the consequence is an unintended byproduct, not intentional. Choice C is incorrect because provocative content gets "higher" engagement—implying other content exists. Choice D is incorrect because the passage suggests engagement may promote low-quality divisive content.