In a groundbreaking new study, researchers found that Facebook’s Pages and Groups are largely responsible for the ideological echo chambers that have been a major feature of the social media giant’s platform.
The study by researchers at the Computational Propaganda Project (CPP) at the Oxford Internet Institute explored how personal political views are emotionally reinforced by networks of Facebook Pages and Groups, as well as how those networks structure the social media echo chambers we’re now familiar with.
The study found that Pages with stronger reinforcement dynamics – such as those that embrace polarization, extreme rhetoric and conspiracy theories – are more successful than those that don’t. This is largely because they have the ability to capture our attention and emotions, as well as inspire a sense of belonging and shared purpose.
Moreover, the study found that when it comes to Facebook Groups, they tend to become echo chambers – meaning that members less likely to see posts and content from outside sources. This then reinforces the perspectives and feelings shared by group members.
The study found that 90 per cent of Facebook Groups are ideologically homogeneous – meaning that the majority of members are likely to share similar political views.
Overall, the findings of this study offer important insights into how Facebook can shape the world we inhabit. As the CPP researchers note, the ability to ‘nurture echo chambers’ through a platform like Facebook can be incredibly powerful and have significant effects.
Clearly, this is something that Facebook needs to take seriously. The company should look to find ways to disrupt existing echo chamber dynamics and promote more constructive dialogue amongst users.
By doing so, Facebook has the potential to bring different perspectives together – instead of continuing to make sure they exist in separate bubbles.
