Another new study indicates algorithms aren't driving polarization. The evidence is preliminary, but part of a growing trend of studies that don't find evidence of the much fabled extremist rabbit hole.https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0747563220303733 …
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Replying to @chris_bail
Maybe, maybe not but that design cannot measure that question. You also cannot measure the polarization question like that imo to be honest, because on what planet is, say, Fox news outside of the algorithmic public sphere? It orients itself to compete with Breitbart on Facebook.
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Replying to @zeynep @chris_bail
However to your point re Fox, they are included in the algo. category when that info is via SMS or news aggs. I suspect selection effects that limit impact on polarization. That type of info via algos is probably likely to pull on the tails ala Levendusky but needs long. data.
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Replying to @JessicaFeezell @chris_bail
Right, though the problem is they've also reoriented their TV programming to compete with their audience pulled by Breitbart on Facebook—where recs/ranking play a big role. (One producer put it as: "gotta compete with the crazy). It makes it very hard to measure, for sure.
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I'm not saying I have an easy answer here: before the pandemic, I was wondering how we could fund a national longitudinal panel, cut a deal with the companies for a different data access approach etc. The ground has shifted and key data is private—hard measurement problem.
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Replying to @zeynep @chris_bail
I'd co-sign that application! Better data is needed for sure. We are genuinely surprised there isn't a significant relationship between user-driven / socially-driven algorithms & polarization, even as we measure it. (The thrust for this came from your NYT Op Ed - so thanks!
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Replying to @JessicaFeezell @chris_bail
Thank you. I do suspect that part of the answer is the effects are hard to separate, and I do really appreciate all the work and creativity goes into papers like yours. My frustration is completely on why we, as a field, still don't have the resources for a national panel etc.
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Replying to @zeynep @JessicaFeezell
I wonder if there is a way that the creation of such a panel could be part of government regulation/legislation on social media.
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Right? At a minimum. How are we to know what on earth to do, without understanding the process better—especially since they are no longer really publishing work of any significance on this question for the public. (They used to but have totally stopped this).
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