Around half of U.S. adults who use Facebook say they do not understand why certain posts but not others are included in their news feed. Older users are particularly likely to say they do not understand the workings of the news feed.
Many experts fear uncivil and manipulative behaviors on the internet will persist – and may get worse.
Algorithms can save lives, make things easier and conquer chaos. But experts worry about governmental and corporate control of the data, and how algorithms can produce biased results and worsen digital divides.
To arrive at the results regarding the tone or frame of discussion on social media, and specifically Twitter, Pew Research often uses computer coding software provided by Crimson Hexagon. That software is able to analyze the textual content from all publicly available posts on Twitter. Crimson Hexagon (CH) classifies online content by identifying statistical patterns […]
There were big differences in the content related to Ferguson on Twitter and Facebook. Was the reason what users wanted from each, or the sites' algorithms?
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About Pew Research Center Pew Research Center is a nonpartisan fact tank that informs the public about the issues, attitudes and trends shaping the world. It conducts public opinion polling, demographic research, media content analysis and other empirical social science research. Pew Research Center does not take policy positions. It is a subsidiary of The Pew Charitable Trusts.
