Study finds gender bias in social media political ad delivery

A new study published on arXiv examines gender-based discrepancies in how social media algorithms deliver political ads. Researchers from multiple institutions analyzed a massive dataset of over 110,000 ads from 453 political parties and 968 candidates during the 2024 European Parliament elections. These ads generated more than 7 billion impressions across 25 EU countries. The team controlled for ad content, platform-level competition, and targeting strategies, yet still found a clear pattern: men were significantly more likely to be shown ads from populist and far-right parties than women. On average, populist party ads reached a 6 percentage point higher male share, all else equal.

The findings highlight a systemic algorithmic bias that could undermine democratic processes. Such imbalances prevent voters from engaging equally with diverse political viewpoints and may reinforce political polarization, particularly along gender lines. The researchers argue that far-right and populist ads often amplify divisive messaging, potentially widening existing gender gaps in political engagement. They call on platforms and policymakers to audit algorithmic ad delivery and implement safeguards to ensure fair exposure to political information during elections. The study underscores the need for transparency and accountability in how social media shapes public discourse.