Theory of Knowledge - Course Companion for Students Marija Uzunova Dang Arvin Singh Uzunov Dang
terms: Robson BBCSearchof online echo chambermythRobson, writing for the BBC, describesDavidthat show that while social media usersstudiesexposed to more polarized news sources,areare also more exposed to sources withtheyviewpoints. This means that theiropposing“diet” is more varied than that of usersmediaregularly visit one or two internet newswhoThere is also some evidence that socialsites.users actively seek out diverse viewsmediado not align with their existing beliefs andthatthe actual number of users caught up in anthatchamber is lower than commonly stated.echois, however, some evidence that usersTherebecome more, not less, entrenched in theirmaywhen presented with arguments frombeliefsopposing side of their political position.thebubbles and echo chambers—Filterviews comparedtwoTo what extent is Robson’s argument1.or divergent with Pariser’s andconsistentDo Robson and Pariser make use of similar2.different kinds of evidence?orTo what extent have you observed or heard3.this effect within your personalaboutWhat are the implications of online filter4.or negative?bubbles—positiveHow can the negative effects of online filter5.be diminished?bubblesWhich groups of people are more6.to the influence of filter bubblesvulnerablepreceding few pages have shown Eli Pariser,TheObama and The Economist magazine,Barackothers, argue that echo chambers andamongbubbles have contributed to the increasefilterexample, the concept of “motivatedForis supported by research thatreasoning”that people are so attached to theirshowsidentities that they may unknowinglypoliticaltheir thinking to dismissing evidencedevotedisagrees with their beliefs. For example,thatwere seen to use more emotiveRepublicansin their online posts when exposed towordsliberal viewpoints. This is a characteristicmoreecho chambers.of(2018) describes the psychologicalRobsonof “self-licensing”, in whichconceptmay feel that they have earnedindividualsright to their prejudice because they havetheopen-mindedness before. Robsondemonstrateda 2008 study that found that peopledescribeshad supported Barack Obama inthewhoPresidential election were more likely toUS“Policy-makers should regulate the internet7.that what we see is ‘neutral’.”sowhat extent do you agree with thisTostatement?would a “neutral” view lookWhatand who could decide on itslike(a) How do the responsibilities of8.governments andindividuals,such as Google andorganizationsdiffer in controlling theFacebookyou expect theseWouldand this control to beresponsibilitiesaround the world, and whyconsistentwhy not?orpolitical polarization of the past decade.inhave also been implicated in the spread ofTheyin political discourse. Considermisinformation2.1. FigureII. PerspectivesII. Perspectivesexpress potentially racist views subsequently.For discussion(a)(b)the other arguments we have seen so far?content?network?negative effects of filter bubbles?(b)and how can that be addressed?41
II. Perspectivesmedia users report encountering a varietySocialpolitical beliefs in their online networks, atofaccording to a 2016 Pew Research Centerleastof 4,500 people in the United States (seesurveyof Facebook/Twitter users who say that most of the people in their%have political beliefs that are_____ to theirsnetworks2016, a team of researchers from OxfordInStanford University and MicrosoftUniversity,whether internet use had led toinvestigatedideological segregation. They reportedincreasedsocial networks and search engines arethatwith an increase in the averageassociateddistance between individualsideologicalof polarization). However, they also(ameasurethat social networks and search enginefoundwere “associated with an increase in anuseGuessActualexposure to material from his orindividual’sless preferred side of the political spectrum”heret al 2016). The researchers noted that(Flaxmanpeople still access online news by directlymosttheir mainstream news websites ofvisitingnot through social media (though thischoice,have changed since then) and that the size ofmayeffects of social media was relatively modest.theresearch team in 2018 reported that Twitter usersA“to a large degree” exposed to opinions thatarewith their own. They also reported that thoseagreeshare political content from both sides ofwhopolitical divide— “who try to bridge the echothea social network cost in termschambers”—incurhow many followers they have and how manyoftheir posts receive (Garimella et al 2018).likesa separate study, also in 2018, concludedHowever,“those who are interested in politics andthatwith diverse media diets tend to avoidthosechambers … [and] only a small segment ofechopopulation are ever likely to find themselvesthean echo chamber” (Dubois, Blank 2018).infinally, researchers from FacebookAndthe existence of echo chambersinvestigated10 million users and found that whileamongfeeds tend to show people less diversenews2EU immigration as % of UK population% of UK child benefit paid to kids living in EU% of EU budget spent on admin% of international investment into UK by EU% of international investment into UK by China010 20 30 40 50Misperceptions among UK survey respondents about how the EU aects life in the UK. DataFigure 2.1source: UK newspaper The Financial Times.Figure 2.2).Facebook235 53 19Twitter17 6 39 37Pew Research Center survey conducted 12 July–Figure 2.28 August 2016, “The political environment on social media”: mostFacebook and Twitter users’ online networks contain a mix of peoplewith a variety of political beliefs.political information, this was driven more42
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II. Perspectives
media users report encountering a variety
Social
political beliefs in their online networks, at
of
according to a 2016 Pew Research Center
least
of 4,500 people in the United States (see
survey
of Facebook/Twitter users who say that most of the people in their
%
have political beliefs that are_____ to theirs
networks
2016, a team of researchers from Oxford
In
Stanford University and Microsoft
University,
whether internet use had led to
investigated
ideological segregation. They reported
increased
social networks and search engines are
that
with an increase in the average
associated
distance between individuals
ideological
of polarization). However, they also
(ameasure
that social networks and search engine
found
were “associated with an increase in an
use
Guess
Actual
exposure to material from his or
individual’s
less preferred side of the political spectrum”
her
et al 2016). The researchers noted that
(Flaxman
people still access online news by directly
most
their mainstream news websites of
visiting
not through social media (though this
choice,
have changed since then) and that the size of
may
effects of social media was relatively modest.
the
research team in 2018 reported that Twitter users
A
“to a large degree” exposed to opinions that
are
with their own. They also reported that those
agree
share political content from both sides of
who
political divide— “who try to bridge the echo
the
a social network cost in terms
chambers”—incur
how many followers they have and how many
of
their posts receive (Garimella et al 2018).
likes
a separate study, also in 2018, concluded
However,
“those who are interested in politics and
that
with diverse media diets tend to avoid
those
chambers … [and] only a small segment of
echo
population are ever likely to find themselves
the
an echo chamber” (Dubois, Blank 2018).
in
finally, researchers from Facebook
And
the existence of echo chambers
investigated
10 million users and found that while
among
feeds tend to show people less diverse
news
2
EU immigration as % of UK population
% of UK child benefit paid to kids living in EU
% of EU budget spent on admin
% of international investment into UK by EU
% of international investment into UK by China
0
10 20 30 40 50
Misperceptions among UK survey respondents about how the EU aects life in the UK. Data
Figure 2.1
source: UK newspaper The Financial Times.
Figure 2.2).
23
5 53 19
17 6 39 37
Pew Research Center survey conducted 12 July–
Figure 2.2
8 August 2016, “The political environment on social media”: most
Facebook and Twitter users’ online networks contain a mix of people
with a variety of political beliefs.
political information, this was driven more
42