3) Social Media, Misinformation, & Echo Chambers
- How do we identify ‘fake news’ and misinformation? Are these protected free speech?
- How do online echo chambers and filter bubbles complicate productive public discourse? What chambers/bubbles are you immersed in? Does exposure to other media sources make a difference?
- How will AI affect our ability to disagree well? Are LLMs better or worse than humans at being persuasive? Empathetic?
Read This:
- Nguyen, C.T. (2020), ‘Escape the Echo Chamber’, Aeon.
- Bail, C.A., Argyle, L.P., Brown, T.W., Bumpus, J.P., Chen, H., Hunzaker, M.B.F. et al. (2018), ‘Exposure to Opposing Views on Social Media Can Increase Political Polarization’, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (Sep), 115 (37), pp. 9216-9221.
- Haidt, J. (2022), ‘Why the Past Ten Years Have been Uniquely Stupid’, The Atlantic (April).
- Ho, V. (2025), ‘Is AI More Persuasive Than a Human in a Debate?, Washington Post, May 19.
Do This:
Follow or read a news source that reflects a political orientation that is different than your own. In your journal, reflect on how the differences in content, framing, imagery, language, etc of a particular issue or event. Does following this source challenge or affirm your opinions? What insight does it offer into how the “other side” views this issue?
Watch This:
E. Pariser, Beware Online Filter Bubbles: