A call for an ethical algorithm to filter harmful content on social media

A call for an ethical algorithm to filter harmful content on social media

Experts have stated that social media algorithms, while presenting content based on users' interests, can increase the risk of addiction, especially among children, and have called on platforms to implement ethical algorithms that reduce the visibility of harmful content.

Professor Dr. Osman Tolga Arıcak, a member of the Green Crescent Scientific Board and a faculty member in the Psychology Department at Hasan Kalyoncu University, told an AA reporter that algorithms developed to facilitate user experience are shaped by behavior and determine the flow of content accordingly.

Stating that algorithms can have negative aspects as well as positive ones, Arıcak said, "The more a person is interested in something negative, the more the algorithms begin to highlight publications related to that negativity. For example, if you are interested in something academic, the more you research that topic, the algorithm starts showing you more publications. When you research ways to commit suicide or ways to harm someone, the algorithm starts showing you publications, news, and documentaries related to that. Therefore, algorithms need to be re-evaluated. Software and algorithms that can block unethical and dangerous stimuli and messages need to be developed."

Arıcak stated that algorithms bring advertisements and sponsored content to the forefront, while also making less visible content. He noted that a highly undesirable element from the Dark Web appearing prominently in search results poses a serious risk.