Social media use driven by search for reward, akin to animals seeking food

"Mars, fascinating:" Why a garbage video went viral before NASA could release the real one. A rotten ecosystem of science social media accounts is pushing hoax content to gin up audience numbers and sell low-rent affiliate ads. The Mars rover is the latest victim.

MIT Twitter Experiment Shows Clear Self-Selection Into Social Media “Echo Chambers” Due to Political Preferences

Shame and the Rise of the Social Media Outrage Machine