Reform UK voters least likely to see social media posts from family and friends, study finds

The researchers said ‘sticky’ design that keeps users engaged for longer was being prioritised over social connection, with TikTok-style short form video content dominating all apps. Photograph: Hollie Adams/Reuters

Reform UK voters are the least likely to see posts from friends and family on social media and most likely to see content from brands and news organisations, a study has found.

The Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) thinktank said algorithms were fuelling isolation and division after its research analysing users’ feeds on Instagram, Facebook, X, Bluesky and TikTok found that only 13% of Reform UK voters saw content from someone they knew, compared with 23% of Green party voters.