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.
Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World
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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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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 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 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 […]
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data essay
How America Changed During Barack Obama’s Presidency
Pew Research Center President Michael Dimock examines the changes – some profound, some subtle – that the U.S. experienced during Barack Obama’s presidency.
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short reads
Americans still favor ties with Cuba after Castro’s death, U.S. election
Three-quarters of U.S. adults approve of the decision last year to re-establish relations with Cuba, and nearly as many favor ending the trade embargo.
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TV still the top source for election results, but digital platforms rise
Nearly nine-in-ten voters who followed the 2016 returns (88%) did so on TV, while 48% used online platforms; 21% used social networks such as Twitter and Facebook.
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Theme 4: Training and learning systems will not meet 21st‑century needs by 2026
Pew Research Center and Elon University’s Imagining the Internet Center have asked questions that relate to learning in several earlier canvassings in the “Future of the Internet” series. The first was in 2004. In that study, 59% agreed and only 15% disagreed that the following scenario was likely by 2014: “Enabled by information technologies, the […]
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The Future of Truth and Misinformation Online
Experts are split on whether the coming years will see less misinformation online. Those who foresee improvement hope for technological and societal solutions. Others say bad actors using technology can exploit human vulnerabilities.