The Hungarian government has said that Facebook algorithms are allegedly working against Prime Minister Viktor Orban and helping his main rival Peter Magyar ahead of the election.
Politico writes about this.
Government spokesman Zoltan Kovacs said that “the algorithm actually works against the ruling party”. According to him, the platform’s internal mechanisms can influence the reach of posts and play in favor of the opposition.
Peter Magyar, who first came to the attention of a large audience through a Facebook post criticizing the government, is ahead of Orban in the polls ahead of the election. He is actively using social media to communicate with voters and is garnering millions of views.
According to the publication, Magyar received almost 14 million interactions with posts, while Orbán received approximately 7.8 million, although the prime minister posts even more.
Orbanʼs team explains this by saying that he maintains the politicianʼs official page, while Magyar maintains a personal profile. They also claim that the opposition has been complaining about “Fidesz” content, which is why some of the posts are being restricted.
At the same time, Meta denies these accusations, stating that its algorithms do not differentiate between account types and operate according to the same rules for everyone.
What is known about the elections in Hungary?
Parliamentary elections in Hungary will begin on April 12. Opinion polls and analystsʼ forecasts indicate that Orban could lose power for the first time in 16 years. The politician is known for his pro-Russian views and blocking Ukraineʼs membership in the EU.
WP, citing sources, wrote that the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service suggested that Orban stage an assassination attempt on him in order to raise his ratings ahead of the elections.
The US President Donald Trump has publicly urged Hungarians to vote for Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban in the parliamentary elections on April 12.
The “Tisza” party is led by former government official Peter Magyar, Orbanʼs main rival. He says that if he wins, his political force will fight corruption, try to unfreeze billions of euros in EU aid, and strengthen the countryʼs course towards cooperation with the EU and NATO.
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