Social media advertising suppresses voting in targeted communities, research shows
Phys.org
February 20, 2026
AI-Generated Deep Dive Summary
A new study reveals that social media platforms can deliver voter suppression messages directly to specific communities, significantly reducing their turnout in elections. Researchers from the University of Wisconsin–Madison conducted a groundbreaking investigation by recruiting over 10,000 participants across the U.S., representative of the broader voting population. These individuals installed an app that tracked every ad they encountered during the six weeks leading up to the 2016 presidential
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Originally published on Phys.org on 2/20/2026