Overview
- During the Bundestag campaign window, AfD and The Left were shown disproportionately often, while SPD and CDU/CSU appeared far less than their share of posts.
- Measured shares included SPD posting 24.1% of official videos but appearing in 14.1% of test feed recommendations, CDU/CSU 17.1% vs. 4.9%, AfD 21.5% vs. 37.4%, and The Left 9.7% vs. 27.6%.
- AfD-related clips surfaced fastest for new youth profiles, with #afd content appearing after about 11–12 minutes compared with roughly 70 minutes for #spd, with BSW also benefiting from elevated visibility.
- The study finds algorithmic criteria remain opaque, and observable signals such as likes, comments and views do not fully explain the disparities, with critical or informational tones more frequently promoted than humorous or emotional posts.
- Bertelsmann experts warn that recommendation feeds shape which political messages reach young people and urge platform transparency rules, stronger civic education, and a more strategic presence by underrepresented parties.