Breaking the Loop: Escaping the Polarising Grip of Algorithmic Media

How can we reclaim our attention, rewire digital incentives, and amplify voices that serve the world — not divide it?

The Vicious Cycle of Attention: Why Polarisation Pays in the Digital Economy

Imagine waking up and scrolling your feed — again. The headlines are outrage-inducing. The same faces show up. The same tired conflicts play out. It feels like déjà vu, but not by accident. Social media platforms and news algorithms are engineered for one thing above all else: your attention.

And nothing captures human attention more reliably than conflict.

In today’s digital economy, outrage is currency. Polarising content — whether political extremism, culture wars, or clickbait conspiracies — performs well not because it's true or useful, but because it's emotionally charged and algorithmically rewarded. The result? A feedback loop where controversy drowns out nuance, and those trying to build solutions rarely make the feed.

So how do we break this loop?

Designed for Division: How Algorithms Amplify Extremes

Algorithms aren’t evil, but they are indifferent to truth. Built to optimise for engagement, they elevate what performs well in the metrics: likes, shares, comments, clicks. And conflict outperforms cooperation every time.

According to a 2021 MIT study, false news spreads six times faster than the truth on Twitter (now X). Similarly, Facebook's own internal research revealed that its algorithms promote divisive content because it's more engaging—yet the platform did little to change this.

It’s not just politics. From climate change to gender debates to racial justice, the most extreme opinions tend to rise to the top, while the more thoughtful, bridge-building perspectives get buried in the algorithmic noise.

Why It Matters: The Real-World Consequences of Digital Division

This isn't just about frustration or screen fatigue. The consequences are deep and structural:

• Democracy weakens when voters live in parallel realities.

• Social trust erodes, making it harder to agree on basic facts.

• Action on global challenges stalls, from the climate crisis to inequality.

We need systemic change, not just better content, but a rethinking of the entire digital architecture.

Reclaiming the Feed: How Do We Escape the Polarisation Trap?

Escaping this loop isn’t easy, but it is possible. It will take collective shifts in how we design platforms, how we consume media, and how we elevate diverse voices.

Here are some emerging solutions:

1. Redesigning Algorithms for Public Good, Not Just Profit

Big tech companies must be held accountable for the social outcomes of their platforms. Some promising moves include:

• Transparency laws that require platforms to disclose how their algorithms work.

• Alternative ranking systems prioritising accuracy, civility, or public benefit — like the nonprofit Mozilla’s work on ethical AI.

• Decentralised platforms or “slow media” apps like News Minimalist or Gobo, which allow users to customise what they see based on values, not virality.

2. Reforming Media Incentives

Many digital newsrooms still chase the clicks. But new media startups and independent creators are pioneering fresh models:

• Public interest journalism funded by memberships or grants (e.g. The Correspondent, ProPublica).

• Curated platforms that reward solution-driven stories (e.g. Solutions Journalism Network, Positive News).

• Nonprofit or co-operative media models, which aren’t tied to ad revenue and can prioritise depth over drama.

3. Supporting the Signal Over the Noise: Amplifying Servant Voices

We need to shift attention toward the builders, not just the breakers. Across the world, thousands of changemakers are working to heal ecosystems, reduce poverty, fight for equity, or advance climate justice — but they rarely make the algorithmic cut.

To elevate these voices:

• Create lists, newsletters, and social circles focused on people doing the work, not just talking loudly.

• Use your platform — however small or big — to reshare, spotlight, and support. A share from you might be the signal someone else needs to discover a new solution.

• Follow international, Indigenous, grassroots, and underrepresented voices, who often bring richer, more systemic perspectives.

4. Reclaiming Our Own Attention

At the personal level, digital hygiene matters. Ask yourself:

• Who benefits from my outrage?

• What stories am I missing while stuck in this loop?

• Am I consuming media that broadens my worldview—or narrows it?

Consciously diversify your feed. Seek slow, long-form content. And remember: your attention is your power.

Toward a Healthier Information Ecosystem

The media world is not neutral. It's shaped by code, incentives, and invisible choices. If we want a healthier world, one where truth matters more than clicks, and where constructive voices rise above the noise, we must demand better from the platforms we use, support better media with our time and money, and shift our collective attention toward what truly matters.

It starts by noticing the loop. Then breaking it.