Dangers of echo chambers (33)

Echo chambers are dangerous – we must try to break free of our online bubbles

Across the political spectrum we must all work harder to analyse our sources of information and our biases. The consequences of not doing so are dire. This abuse is an ubiquitous problem, but perhaps one that might have surprised the pioneers of the web. The early days of the internet promised a mind-expanding utopia, where we could freely exchange new ideas and contemplate other points of view. Even in those days of heady optimism, there were already a few academics who worried that this vision pivoted on too high-minded a picture of human nature. In 2017, after a year of revelations involving cyberbullying, troll factories, campaigns of misinformation and more, we should urgently be questioning our use of online space. And to counter these threats we need to examine the greatest one: our own cosy online bubble.

• We are much more homogeneous than we think, and tend to engage most with information that flatters our ideological preconceptions.
• Individuals empowered to screen out material that does not conform to their existing preferences may form virtual cliques, insulate themselves from opposing points of view, and reinforce their biases. Internet users can seek out interactions with like-minded individuals who have similar values, and thus become less likely to trust important decisions to people whose values differ from their own.”
• An estimated 61% of millennials garner news primarily through social media.