How Does Artificial Intelligence Encourage Violence?

1. We All Fall into the Same Trap

You pick up your phone. A video is playing on your feed. Someone has been wronged. Or someone said something really infuriating. Your blood starts to boil. You check the comments—everyone is furious. You write something too. Maybe a harsh sentence. Maybe you say, “They deserved it.”

You don’t realize it, but you just threw fuel into a machine. A machine that runs on your anger.

2. Why Does Anger Serve the Platforms’ Interests?

A cat video keeps you on the screen for 3 seconds. But content that enrages you keeps you there for minutes. You comment, you wait for replies, you check notifications, you come back again and again.

A study published in 2024 revealed that Twitter’s engagement-based algorithm significantly prioritizes posts containing anger. Researchers found that users who read content selected by the algorithm experienced noticeably higher levels of anger, sadness, and anxiety.

Another striking study by William Brady and Molly Crockett from Yale University examined 12.7 million tweets. The result: when users express outrage, they receive more likes and shares, which conditions them to display even more anger over time. Crockett summarizes it plainly: “Social media’s business model is built to maximize user engagement. The rise of moral outrage is a direct outcome of that.”

Anger is the stickiest emotion. And the algorithm loves sticky content. Because screen time means advertising revenue.

3. So Who Does the Algorithm Provoke You Against?

Artificial intelligence knows you. It knows what triggers you, which opinions you keep at a distance, which groups you hold resentment toward. Then it places that group right in front of you. It picks the worst example, the ugliest video, the most inflammatory quote, and brings it to you.

The goal is simple: to irritate you. To rile you up. To provoke you! Because an angry person doesn’t think—they share. They don’t question—they comment. They attack the other side, and the other side attacks them back. And while everyone is going after each other, the platform keeps showing ADS.

4. Cancel Culture: A Growing Danger Inside All of Us

Once upon a time, someone who made a mistake would get a warning. Now they get canceled. Artificial intelligence waits for the smallest spark to put someone on the target board. A misunderstood remark, a video stripped of context, a tweet posted years ago…

The algorithm first shows this content to a small group. If the anger starts to spread, it serves it to more people. Within hours, thousands attack the same person. PERHAPS OVER PAST NEWS. Most don’t even know why they are attacking. But the algorithm knows: at that moment, everyone is glued to the screen, and the ads are rolling. The atmosphere turns into a surveillance reality.

Research shows that online lynching incidents have turned into a “culture.” Behaviors like contempt, hatred, exclusion, alienation, and punishment are increasing every day. Academic studies on cancel culture reveal that this space has transformed into a zone of mass hatred and uncanniness.

5. How Does Violence Become Normalized?

After a while, debate videos on the screen are no longer enough. The algorithm increases the dose. Yesterday, an ordinary quarrel was enough. Today, fight videos start appearing. Tomorrow, you will seek out harsher ones.

In psychology, this is called “desensitization.” A study conducted at Marmara University shows that continuous exposure to violent content on social media strips that content of its context and makes it meaningless. Experts note that continuous exposure suppresses the viewer’s emotional responses; feelings like anger, sadness, pity, and empathy diminish. The person first becomes a spectator, then supports in the comments, then says “they deserved it.” Finally, they begin to see violence as normal, even necessary. In other words, they become a victim of violence—a victim who supports violence.

6. This Violence Doesn’t Stay on the Screen

The anger that starts on the screen doesn’t stay there. Studies show that people exposed to anger on social media can behave more aggressively in real life. Family arguments increase. Patience in traffic wears thin. Greetings with neighbors fade away.

But here is an important point: We are not creating an enemy with this article; we are pointing to a problem. The goal is not to say “platforms bad, we good.” The goal is to recognize this invisible trap we are all inside. Perhaps even to show the algorithm what the right path looks like. After all, the algorithm wasn’t built by our alien enemies—it was built by some of us.

7. What Can We Do?

This article does not offer treatment; treatment is personal, and if needed, a professional should be consulted. But awareness is the beginning of everything. Here are steps you can take:

Before reacting, STOP for 10 seconds. The algorithm expects an instant reaction from you. Delay your reaction wisely. THINK! Is this content truly worth getting angry over?
Recognize your anger triggers. Which topics drive you up the wall? Know that the algorithm will place exactly those in front of you. Be prepared.
LEARN TO USE THE ALGORITHM TO UNDERSTAND AND CONTROL YOUR ANGER.
Unfollow, mute, even block. Cutting ties with accounts that constantly anger you is liberating.
Don’t feed the algorithm. Don’t click, comment, share, or LIKE angry content. If you starve it, it weakens. THEN IT FALLS IN LINE. SHOW IT WHO THE BOSS IS.
Step into the real world. No fight on the screen can replace tea shared with a friend. GO OUT AMONG PEOPLE.
If you sense an exaggeration, stop and question! If you notice excessive anger, intolerance, or desensitization in yourself or someone close, first ask yourself. Then consult a trusted loved one. If necessary, seeking support from a professional is not something to be ashamed of—it is, on the contrary, an act of courage.

Anger is a commodity, and every day millions of people give away their anger for free. You can’t get your money back, but don’t give away your anger either. It belongs to you. Don’t let them buy it. Don’t let anyone sell you anger. Don’t be a porter of rage!

Best wishes.

References

Pandey, S. & Milli, S. (2024). Engagement, User Satisfaction, and the Amplification of Divisive Content on Social Media. CloudResearch. https://www.cloudresearch.com/resources/blog/social-media-algorithm-impact/
Brady, W. & Crockett, M. (2021). ‘Likes’ and ‘shares’ teach people to express more outrage online. Yale University. https://news.yale.edu/2021/08/13/likes-and-shares-teach-people-express-more-outrage-online
Yumrukuz, Ö. (2017). Şiddete Karşı Duyarsızlaşma ve Sosyal Medya İlişkisi Üzerine Bir İnceleme. Marmara İletişim Dergisi, 28, 89-106. https://dergipark.org.tr/en/download/article-file/378749
Erem, H. Ö. (2024). Sosyal Psikolojik Açıdan Linç Kültürü. Nesne Dergisi. https://www.nesnedergisi.com
Sosyal Medyada Kitle Psikolojisi ve Linç Kültürü (2023). Kritik Dergisi. https://dergipark.org.tr/tr/pub/kritik/article/1347651