Episode
How Social Media Was Designed To Manipulate You | Renée DiResta
- Published
- Jan 22, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 5404
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- https://traffic.megaphone.fm/LLAAY9962888635.mp3
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Summary
Renée DiResta is a leading researcher on social media, disinformation, and how digital platforms shape public opinion. She is the author of Invisible Rulers: The People Who Turn Lies into Reality. In this conversation, we explore why it feels like we are living in completely different realities online, and how platform design, algorithms, and engagement incentives quietly pull us into polarized worlds. We unpack how rumors, memes, and influencer dynamics can turn fringe ideas into mainstream political narratives, shaping elections, public policy, and how we see one another. From the rise of rage-driven influencers to the collapse of shared facts, Renée breaks down how our attention and emotions are weaponized at scale. You can grab her book here: https://a.co/d/1UsltPf 00:00 – Why Social Media Creates Parallel Realities 04:00 – How Algorithms Decide What You See 09:00 – The Crowd Effect and How Trends Actually Form 13:00 – Why Platforms Reward Outrage 18:00 – How Moral Language Drives Virality 22:00 – Factions, Identity, and Internet Tribalism 28:00 – The Majority Illusion: Why Everything Feels Extreme 33:00 – Why Experts Struggle Online 38:00 – The Rise of Political Influencers 44:00 – How Rumors Turn Into Propaganda 50:00 – When Virality Becomes “Truth” 56:00 – How Social Media Is Reshaping Politics 1:01:00 – The Politics of Rage 1:06:00 – Can Algorithms Be Designed for Connection? 1:12:00 – AI, Deepfakes, and the Collapse of Trust 1:18:00 – Entering the Post-Reality Era 1:23:00 – How Do We Rebuild Shared Reality? 1:28:00 – What Individuals Can Actually Do Follow my work here: Substack: https://sineadbovell.substack.com Website: https://www.sineadbovell.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sineadbovell LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/si…