Internet’s Echo chambers 101
@abucci@anthony.buc.ci I think saying “There is no such thing as an echo chamber” is an example of the image. Are you open to a different opinion? And obviously, to different evidence?
@abucci@anthony.buc.ci You can’t say that it’s been deboooonked, but follow it with evidence, finding that it doesn’t happen as often, as people assume.
We can argue about the details, but the fact is, that on most social media recomendaitions are based on what you like, rather than providing you all opinions on what you’re frequently looking at.
Most sites also show some bias in their moderation, on top of that, so people often end up on the sites, where finding opposing opinions is harder, than those they agree with.
This isn’t enough to create an echo chamber in most cases, but just look around social media and see how many people are subscribed to blocklists, designed to filter out the rest, or just block those, who try to have a discussion, about specific topics.
@thecanine@twtxt.net I’ve found that many disagreements start with definitions.
What’s an echo chamber for each one of us? (Or any polemic topic)
We are often talking about different things using the same name.
@eaplmx@twtxt.net I assume we’re using the dictionary definition:
an environment in which the same opinions are repeatedly voiced and promoted, so that people are not exposed to opposing views:
an online echo chamber;
We need to move beyond the echo chamber of our network to understand diverse perspectives
Even then it’s not obvious, at what point something becomes an echo chamber, or rather, it’s left subjective. Still I find it bizarre, arguing that it’s not a thing at all.
@abucci@anthony.buc.ci Is it about ‘winning’? Or is it about getting closer to the truth?
@thecanine@twtxt.net Yeah. I find that definition too broad and ambiguous (Is it only the same opinions? There are no opposing views, at all?). And I think that leaving a subjective metric, on when it is and is not, won’t help.
How about?
An echo chamber refers to situations in which beliefs are amplified or reinforced by communication and repetition inside a closed system and insulated from rebuttal. By participating in an echo chamber, people are able to seek out information that supports their existing views diminishing opposing views, potentially resulting in an unintended exercise of confirmation bias.
An echo chamber is an epistemic construct in which voices are actively excluded and discredited. It does not suffer from a lack of connectivity; rather it depends on the manipulation of trust by methodically denying all outside sources.
And we would need to go deeper on understanding what an epistemic construct is, but I think that’s too long for a twt.
Disclaimer to my friends, and not-so-friends: I posted a comic about a controversial topic. The conversation could go on a ‘memeistic’ side, or extremely deep, philosophical, intellectual, and rational. Usually, I like both approaches.
I don’t want to win any argument. I’m not in the mood to show “You are wrong” (something I do at work, why should I do that here?), although I’m almost always open to learning something new.
If instead of being humorous, is striking a sensitive chord, well, it wasn’t targeted for you. And that’s OK. If you want to hear different opinions, nice! You want to keep your beliefs, even better. What to have a clash of scientific evidence? Well, we can do that another day.
Love you gals/guys.
I personally prefer to avoid sharing my view on certain topics, not because I’m better than others, but because I often notice my opinion on the matter is different and what I might say could change my relationship (friends, family, etc.) with the other party, maybe all without any gained value on mine or their side.
As for my opinion on the topic of echo chambers, what I and others can do to share their point of view without hurting others in a discussion is to also tell your personal experience on the matter, if you add context to why your own statement is “correct” to you (not to be confused with “right” or “truth”), than the other party can interpret the reasoning behind it and come to understand the “gap” in opinions on the same subject.
I often try to start topics by sharing my life experience on the matter which allows others to add to the table rather than fight each other. 🤗
@prologic@twtxt.net Thanks for the insight 😊 on Meta/Facebook, that’s exactly what I’m thinking when sharing your view to others.
@prologic@twtxt.net whoops… 🤭
Well, echo chambers are fun to sing duets with yourself. 🎺 🕺🕺 🎻