The effect of charismatic influencers on polarization online: An agent-based modeling approach

In the face of increasing online polarization, understanding the role of charismatic influencers in shaping public discourse is crucial for those developing mitigation strategies. This study investigates the impact of influencers on the dynamics of polarization in digital environments through agent-based modeling. We examine how an influencer’s charisma and the nature of their message (moderate vs. extremist) affect the ideological and affective dimensions of polarization. Our experiments simulated interactions within an artificial society, manipulating characteristics of the influencer and the society. The results indicate that charismatic influencers with extremist messages accelerate polarization, particularly in more open societies. By contrast, charismatic influencers with moderate messages can reduce the rate of polarization and promote the formation of clusters of moderate individuals in the society. This research highlights the complex role of influencers in either exacerbating or alleviating polarization, and the importance of strategic communication by those seeking to moderate extreme views to preserve democratic values in the digital age. • Charismatic influencers accelerate polarization when promoting extremist messages but can slow it when delivering moderate content. • Societal openness affects polarization dynamics with more open societies showing greater variability in polarization trajectories under influencer activity. • In less open societies, moderate influencers can help sustain conditions for civil disagreement. • The study proposes that a rate-based measure of polarisation, capturing how quickly ideological clusters form and beliefs become extreme is useful for research and practice.