This research explored whether content relating to the Voice referendum in Australia was over- or under-moderated on TikTok, Facebook and X and if it displayed political bias. No political bias was detected, but misinformation was substantially under-moderated across all three platforms.

This research explores the effect of social media algorithms on political content promotion concerning the Voice referendum in Australia. Results suggest ‘Yes’ and ‘No’ filter bubbles can rapidly appear and could play a role in dividing Australian political discourse. Regulators and researchers should have independent oversight of algorithms.