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.
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.
http://web.archive.org/web/20230601132401/https://www.nytime...