Fracking has two circles of users talking among themselves, strengthening their conflicting campaigns. The third word cloud represents the words used by the selected influential users. Picture: Kiran Garimella.
Selected influential users can efficiently spread information on both sides of a controversial discussion.
Social media has become an important news source for a majority of adults. A common complaint is that social media help create echo chambers in which people reading information do not expose themselves to different viewpoints but are often confined to their own. This happens especially with controversial and polarising topics where two viewpoints become so isolated and conflicting viewpoints can emerge that people do not receive or read information that will not reinforce their own opinion.
Researchers from Aalto University and University of Rome Tor Vergata have designed an algorithm that is able to balance the information exposure so that social media users can be exposed to information from both sides of the discussion.
The algorithm uses a greedy algorithm paradigm that aims to find optimal choices at each stage. In this study the algorithm works by efficiently selecting a set of influential users, who can be convinced to spread information about their side to the other side. The goal is to maximize the amount of users exposed to both viewpoints.
Escaping the echo chambers with the help of influential users
“We use word clouds as a qualitative case study to complement our quantitative results, whereby words in the cloud represent the words found in the users’ profiles. For instance, if we look at the topics related to the hashtag #russiagate, we can see not only that the two word clouds that represent the conflicting viewpoints are rather different, but also that they indicate either support or hate for Trump”, describes Aalto University researcher Kiran Garimella.
Similarly, a topic like fracking has two circles of users talking among themselves, strengthening their conflicting campaigns.
“We see in our data that the network is fragmented into two sides, one set of users supporting fracking and using terms such as ‘oil’, ‘energy’, and ‘gas’, and another set of users opposing fracking and using terms such as ‘environmental’, ‘green’, and ‘energy’. There is small overlap in the keywords used by each side, indicading that users are in an echo chamber”, Professor Aristides Gionis adds.
The algorithm helps to identify a small number of influential users who are exposed to both campaigns and have a more balanced viewpoint.
“Examining the content of those users we see that it uses terms from both sides of the discussion. Thus, these users can play a significant role in initiating a social debate and help spreading the arguments of one side to the other,” Garimella concludes.
Learn more: Conflicting views on social media balanced by an algorithm
The Latest on: Balancing social media
- US stocks slip as social media leads tech sell-off with Fed chief Powell due to speakon May 24, 2022 at 6:45 am
Social platform Snap fell more than 34% Tuesday, with the company's CEO pointing to rising inflation, higher interest rates, and supply-chain snags.
- Social Media Searches for Balanceon May 22, 2022 at 5:04 am
Kenneth C. Wisnefski, president and founder of WebiMax, an online marketing company, says his clients plan to adapt their social media strategies in the second half of the year.
- New Haven mom uses social media to help other moms find baby formulaon May 20, 2022 at 1:24 pm
A Connecticut mom is getting creative and using her platform to help other struggling moms amid the baby formula shortage across the country. This nightmare continues for so many ...
- Mothers Turning To Social Media During ‘Crisis’ Baby Formula Shortage: ‘I Don’t Have The Formula That I Need’on May 18, 2022 at 1:50 pm
As the baby formula shortage continues and shelves remain empty, parents are turning to potentially dangerous solutions. Now, the American Academy of Pediatrics has issued emergency guidance. Baby ...
- Stephanie Comfort Shares Why Black Women Often Pay A Higher Price For Speaking Their Truth On Social Mediaon May 13, 2022 at 3:02 pm
Many people are flocking to social media platforms like TikTok ... How do you navigate that since you mentioned that this is your full-time role? How do you balance taking care of yourself and your ...
- Senator Bennet Proposes Commission To Oversee Digital Platforms Including Social Mediaon May 13, 2022 at 9:38 am
Senator Michael Bennet hopes a new proposed commission can help restore the trust and security of the general public on the internet. The Digital Platform Commission would operate and oversee ...
- Examining social media's impact on our kids' mental healthon May 13, 2022 at 9:11 am
ACCORDING TO THE CDC 37% OHIF GH SCHOOL STUDENTS EXPERIENCED ORPO MENTAL HEALTH DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEC.MI AND NEARLY 20% SERIOUSLY CONSIDERED SUICIDE THE SURGERON GENERAL ISSUED AN ADVISO ANDRY ...
- Important to strike a balance with social media exposure, says actor Siddharthon May 13, 2022 at 1:57 am
As far as social media is concerned in today's world, it's important to strike a balance to its exposure. Excess of anything is bad. And in today's time, people need to have more real interactions as ...
- Tips for parents to help with kids’ social media usageon May 11, 2022 at 1:32 pm
More than two-thirds of kids over 12 have a smartphone. Social media apps keep kids entertained and informed, but some parents are concerned about the usage.
- 5 tips for cutting down on social mediaon May 10, 2022 at 9:13 am
Find that tricky balance between online and offline. By David Nield | Published May 10, 2022 12:00 PM Social media can connect you to friends and family, bring you the latest and most important ...
via Google News and Bing News
