The Future of Free Speech, Trolls, Anonymity and Fake News Online
Many experts fear uncivil and manipulative behaviors on the internet will persist – and may get worse.
Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World
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Social Media Update 2016
The share of Americans who use Facebook is on the rise: 79% of online adults use the platform, more than double the share that uses Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram or LinkedIn.
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1. Political content on social media
For several election cycles, Pew Research Center has documented the extent to which Americans are turning to social media for political information and action. The current political environment – featuring exceptionally high levels of interest in the election, partisan antipathy and political polarization – makes for an especially complex atmosphere for today’s social media users. […]
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Theme 3: Trust will not grow, but technology usage will continue to rise as a ‘new normal’ sets in
Many participants pointed out that a person’s use of a technology does not necessarily equate to any level of trust in that technology. They said while some users may gain some level of trust in online interaction for various reasons in the next decade, many will be interacting in online spaces because it is convenient, […]
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short reads
Health issues topped the list of scientific studies reaching wide audiences in 2016
Health care policy, space and evolution led the way.
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Theme 5: Algorithmic categorizations deepen divides
Two lines of thinking about societal divisions were embodied in many respondents’ answers. First, they predicted that an algorithm-assisted future will widen the gap between the digitally savvy, who are the most desired customers in the new information ecosystem, and disadvantage those who are not nearly as connected or able to participate. The second observation […]
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The Political Environment on Social Media
Some Americans enjoy the opportunities for political debate and engagement that social media facilitates, but many more express resignation, frustration over the tone and content of social platforms.
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Theme 4: Oversight and community moderation come with a cost
More monitoring equals more regulation and management in the eyes of some of these experts. Their answers struck these notes: Some solutions could further change the nature of the internet because surveillance will rise; the state may regulate discourse; and these changes will polarize people and limit access to information and free speech. The fairness […]
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Theme 2: Things will stay bad, Part II
Many of these respondents also cited another reason for concern about the future of the social climate online. They focused on the incentive structures of online life and argued: Things will stay bad because tangible and intangible economic and political incentives support trolling. Participation = power and profits. It’s a brawl, a forum for rage […]
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Theme 1: Things will stay bad, Part I
Respondents to this canvassing were very focused on human nature and the special character of online interactions. They offered a series of ideas along these lines: To troll is human; anonymity abets anti-social behavior; inequities drive at least some inflammatory dialogue; and the growing scale and complexity of internet discourse makes this difficult to defeat […]
