NDM: Weekly News Article - W/C 20th February (48)

Twitter accounts really are echo chambers, study finds

Political birds of a feather flock together, with Twitter users tending to communicate with those whose views match their own, says Demos research. Photograph: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/feb/04/twitter-accounts-really-are-echo-chambers-study-finds

Summary

Politics and the internet seem to work in harmony together according to research confirming the exsistance of online echo chambers among Twitter's politically engaged users. Research has found that we are far more likely to interact with those  of the same party, politically speaking. Report author Alex Krasodomski - Jones said that although the accounts analysed were not representative of the broader Twitter population the proportion analysed provided a sample of Twitters political classes. Jones, said the behavior demonstrated was exacerbating, some media outlets used polarized views to attract audiences. The rising popularity of this alternative form of news caters to specific people. It's more than just news - its ideologically driven. 

Key Statistics

• A study of 2,000 Twitter users who publicly identified as either Labour, Tory, Ukip or SNP supporters has found they are far more likely to interact with others from the same party. 
• Research looked at tweets sent between these 2,000 people between May and August last year
• More than 3/4 of re-tweets from SNP supporters and 73% of those from Ukip supporters were of someone from their own party
• The highest proportion of one party re-tweeting supporters from another - 32% - was between Tories and Ukip supporters. 

My Opinion

This article makes a very valid point about how people were more likely to interact with those from the same party as them, but this is not the case only in the political world. Without realizing we regular users who despite not being engaged in anything specific on social media are doing it too. We specifically choose who to interact with and who not to.People say that social media platforms are a chance for us all to share our views and opinions and this is true but rather than sharing them with everyone and anybody we without noticing are sharing them specifically with like minded people through the way in which we tailor what we are posting.