What's Real vs. What's Junk
I just finished reading an article from the University of Oxford about why junk news spreads so easily on social media. They had three key points about why social media platforms have become a breeding ground of fake information, conspiracies, and propaganda. The three key takeaways are algorithms, advertising and exposure.
Algorithms
Algorithms play a role in all of the information that you see on the internet and specifically, social media. It was initially designed so that your content would be personalized, they have grown into the main reason that people just see things that reinforce their beliefs. This, in turn, creates bubbles where people spread false information like wildfire. It limits their exposure to new information and hurts the exchange of new ideas.
Case and point:
Advertising
Social media relies almost solely on advertising and your personal information as funding their business model. Creating viral content incentivizes creating inflammatory and false information that will get clicks. It also allows for political campaigns and other companies to target people that are receptive to manipulative messages and false information because it affirms their beliefs.
Spend time on social media and video streaming platforms and what will you find?
Exposure
Users on social media also play a role by choosing what types of content they engage with. This creates echo chambers, where people only see things that align with their beliefs. This selective exposure makes people more entrenched in their ideologies and limits their exposure to different beliefs. People are just as responsible for what they choose to engage with as the social media companies that use algorithms to cater to what they want to see. People choosing to get their news from social media are at risk of being exposed to an extreme level of misinformation for the sake of confirming their previously held misconceptions.
Pew Research has published its latest study into social media news consumption, which underlines the significant role that social apps now p
What Can We Do?
There are several forces that people need to be aware of when "harmlessly" scrolling on social media for their news. Algorithms that cater to your wants, understanding what news sources can be trusted, going to multiple sources for the same topic, and advertising forces that exploit your emotions. The responsibility is on businesses and individuals to create an environment online that prioritizes transparency, critical thinking, and sharing information responsibly. It is up to us all to create a healthier environment online that doesn't encourage people to get more entrenched and divisive in their views.