By the late 1960s, the counter culture movement had already identified, and warned against, the potential for machine intelligence to shape public opinion.

Now questions are being asked about the role social media has played in American presidential elections and the UK referendum on membership of the European Union.

By feeding people information that reinforces the beliefs they already hold, social media can exaggerate ‘herd thinking’.

Manipulated in this way, people come to believe their own views are ‘normal’ and any opposing views are aberrant.