The inference that supply-side feedback loops and preference mismatches demonstrate algorithms cause affective polarization fails because it
The inference that supply-side feedback loops and preference mismatches demonstrate algorithms cause affective polarization fails because it conflates exposure changes with attitude changes that experiments do not detect.
Milli et al. (2025) found that users did not prefer algorithmically selected political tweets, but this preference mismatch does not establish that amplified content causes affective polarization at the 10 percent threshold.
Guess et al. (2023) found that switching to chronological feeds substantially changed content exposure but did not detectably change affective polarization, showing exposure changes do not automatically produce attitude changes.
Reuning et al. (2022) documented asymmetric share patterns after the MSI change, but share counts are an engagement metric, not a measure of downstream affective polarization among content consumers.