Opinion: If hate-fueled algorithms cause real-world harm, tech firms should pay

Whether by design or by quiet submission to a rapidly-evolving digital landscape, the world’s largest social media companies have allowed their platforms to become factories of division, dehumanization and, increasingly, real-world violence.

What began as tools for connection have become engines of rage. It’s no accident. It’s business.

At the heart of this transformation lies the engagement algorithm: a seemingly neutral mechanism that curates what billions of people see, like, share and believe.

Algorithms are not neutral. They are engineered with a single purpose — to keep us on the platform, clicking, commenting and scrolling. In the race to capture attention, one emotional trigger outperforms others: anger.

Outrage spreads faster than facts. Posts that inflame generate more engage