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royalroad commented on Myths about Social Media   twitter.com/M_B_Petersen/... · Posted by u/royalroad
royalroad · 4 years ago
Maybe it would be worth repeating the 'myths' he lists in the tweets:

Myth 1: A lot of misinfo on social media

No, research suggests there is little, shared by few & having small effects. Those sharing misinfo are not dumb. But they have intense political animus, which motivates to share what fits their worldview, true or false.

Myth 2: Social media makes people hateful

No, research suggests that online hate reflects offline frustrations that make them hateful both online & offline. The hateful are few in numbers but they are attracted to politics and, hence, are much more visible.

Myth 3: Social media are echo chambers

No, research shows that, for most, social media breaks the bubble. We are more connected to "the others" on social media than in our offline lives. That is why it feels unpleasant - because it is the most hateful "others" we meet.

royalroad commented on Myths about Social Media   twitter.com/M_B_Petersen/... · Posted by u/royalroad
royalroad · 4 years ago
I posted this because of this interview Michael Bang Petersen did last October (there's a transcript but you have to click to see it, then scroll down to where Petersen appears):

https://www.wnycstudios.org/podcasts/otm/segments/does-socia...

I thought it was surprisingly excellent, with lots of insights cutting directly against the most hyped notions.

u/royalroad

KarmaCake day549February 6, 2020View Original