The internet and social media have become the main platform to not only give voice to our views and beliefs but also expanding and reinforcing those beliefs through a variety of methods and algorithms. Social media companies constantly advertise a spirit of interconnectivity, friendship, and networking but can trap their users in echo-chambers where our beliefs are amplified. When it comes to explicitly political issues such as the elections, BLM, Brexit, and the recent riots on the Capitol, individuals are more likely to spread information that they have received from ideologically similar sources rather than to pass on information that they have received from opposing or dissimilar sources (Barberá, 2015; Cellan-Jones, 2021). Individuals may even be insulated from the validity of counter-evidence and continue to reinforce their echo-chamber in the form of a loop. This can create pre-emptive distrust between ideological groups and the integrity of their viewpoints and sources (Barbour, 2020). Reinforcement becomes more efficient through the various algorithms used to gather personal information to influence not only what we see or buy, but also how we vote. This perspective on social media indicates that we are more easily controlled by our preexisting beliefs than ever before. More optimistically, this has also increased our awareness of confirmation bias, misinformation, and management of these risks through constant self-monitoring of sources and bias. Cellan-Jones, R. (2021). Tech Tent: Did social media inspire Congress riot? Retrieved January 12, 2021, from https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-55592752 Barberá, P. (2015). Tweeting From Left to Right: Is Online Political Communication More Than an Echo Chamber? Retrieved January 12, 2021, from http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.715.7520&rep=rep1&type=pdf Barbour, C. (2020) "Echo chambers," polarization, and the increasing tension between the (social) reality of expertise and the (cultural) suspicion of authority. Retrieved January 12, 2021, from https://uva.theopenscholar.com/charles-mathewes/blog/echo-chambers-polarization-and-increasing-tension-between-reality-expertise

Social media algorithms prioritize content that generates engagement, often showing users information aligned with their existing beliefs. This creates echo chambers that reinforce political bias and reduce exposure to diverse viewpoints. Such environments can deepen polarization, reduce empathy across divides, and hinder constructive dialogue. While social media can expose people to new ideas, the current design often amplifies confirmation bias.