Digital media – a threat to democracy? The evidence is piling up
www.mpg.de
Digital media are increasingly shaping the political landscape worldwide. A new replication study takes a closer look at earlier research on the influence of digital media on democracy and confirms worrying developments. Although digital media offer opportunities for political participation and access to information, they also contribute to polarization, declining trust in institutions, and the spread of misinformation.

Digital media such as social media, messenger groups or comment columns in online media have a predominantly negative influence on political processes. They can encourage populist movements, increase polarization and undermine trust in institutions.

  • Blackmist@feddit.ukEnglish
    10·
    4 days ago

    I think where social media is particularly insidious is the use of algorithms.

    No normal person wakes up and thinks “I think we should bring back the Nazis”, but like a post on Facebook about Remembrance Sunday or patriotism or even just catapults, and suddenly you’re on a fast track to white supremacist groups.

    I’ve seen people go from chewing out a stranger in the supermarket for whining about foreigners, to spreading made up rumours about immigrants killing white girls.

    In the past you’d hear about hate groups when they’re marching through London in Union Jack T-shirts, smashing curry shop windows. Social media lets people in on the bottom rung and ride it to that point.

    • witten@lemmy.worldEnglish
      61·
      4 days ago

      I’m not defending social media or its algorithms, but you’ve also got to look at what predated it. People used to get their news and information from news anchors and newspapers that were mouthpieces for capitalists and conservatives. So maybe not as extremist or even as effective at influence as a social media algorithm, but still not great. Personally, I don’t want to go back to relying on corporate news outlets either.

      • wuzzlewoggle@feddit.orgEnglish
        3·
        3 days ago

        In Europe we have public news broadcasters in every country, so relying on corporate news isn’t a huge problem.

        Anyway, a news outlet pushing propaganda and misinformation is not nearly as dangerous as a social media platform doing it via algorithm. The fact that the algorithm can give you exactly the kind of propaganda that will resonate with you is extremely dangerous.

        Not saying privately owned news outlets with a huge reach aren’t a problem, they definetely are, it’s just a whole other dimension.

    • wuzzlewoggle@feddit.orgEnglish
      4·
      4 days ago

      Well put, this is exactly the problem. I remember the early days of facebook, twitter and instagram when there were no algorithms and your feed was just posts by people you follow in chronological order. Discourse was much more tame back then. We urgently need stricter laws that regulate these algorithms.