Social Media Use, Political Polarization, and Social Capital: Is Social Media Tearing the U.S. Apart?

Hawdon, James; Ranganathan, Shyam; Leman, Scotland; Bookhultz, Shane; Mitra, Tanushree

doi:10.1007/978-3-030-49570-1_17

Cited by 9 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 35 publications

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“…Most articles found detrimental associations between digital media and different forms of political polarization [110][111][112][113][114]. Our review found evidence for increasing out-group polarization on social media in a range of political contexts and on various platforms [115][116][117][118]. Increasing polarization was also linked to exposure to viewpoints opposed to one's own on social media feed [66,119].…”

Section: Few Articles Have Shed Light On Causal Effects Between Social Media Use and Trust A Field Experiments In The Unitedmentioning

confidence: 76%

A Systematic Review of Worldwide Causal and Correlational Evidence on Digital Media and Democracy

Lorenz-Spreen¹,

Oswald²,

Lewandowsky³

et al. 2021

Preprint

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One of today's most controversial and consequential questions is whether the rapid, worldwide uptake of digital media is causally related to a decline in democracy. We conducted a systematic review of causal and correlational evidence (N=498 articles) on the link between digital media and different political variables, such as trust, polarization or news consumption. We further focused on the subset of articles that employed causal inference methods. Across methods, the articles report associations between digital media use and most political variables. Some associations, such as increases in political participation and information consumption, are likely to be beneficial for democracy and were often observed in the Global South and emerging democracies. Other consistently reported associations, such as declining political trust, advantages for populists, and growing polarization, are likely to be detrimental to democracy and were more pronounced in established democracies. We conclude that while the impact of digital media on democracy depends on the specific political variable and the political system in question, several variables show clear directions of associations. We believe that the evidence calls for further research efforts and vigilance by governments and civil societies to better understand and actively design the intimate interplay of digital media and democracy.

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Section: Few Articles Have Shed Light On Causal Effects Between Social Media Use and Trust A Field Experiments In The Unitedmentioning

confidence: 76%

A Systematic Review of Worldwide Causal and Correlational Evidence on Digital Media and Democracy

Lorenz-Spreen¹,

Oswald²,

Lewandowsky³

et al. 2021

Preprint

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Most articles found detrimental associations between digital media and different forms of political polarization [114][115][116][117][118] . Our review obtained evidence for increasing outgroup polarization on social media in a range of political contexts and on various platforms [119][120][121][122] . Increasing polarization was also linked to exposure to viewpoints opposed to one's own on social media feeds 69,123 .…”

Section: Established Democraciesmentioning

confidence: 99%

A systematic review of worldwide causal and correlational evidence on digital media and democracy

et al. 2022

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

One of today’s most controversial and consequential issues is whether the global uptake of digital media is causally related to a decline in democracy. We conducted a systematic review of causal and correlational evidence (N = 496 articles) on the link between digital media use and different political variables. Some associations, such as increasing political participation and information consumption, are likely to be beneficial for democracy and were often observed in autocracies and emerging democracies. Other associations, such as declining political trust, increasing populism and growing polarization, are likely to be detrimental to democracy and were more pronounced in established democracies. While the impact of digital media on political systems depends on the specific variable and system in question, several variables show clear directions of associations. The evidence calls for research efforts and vigilance by governments and civil societies to better understand, design and regulate the interplay of digital media and democracy.

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“…To date, hyperpolarization, which as we have seen comprises various types of biases manifested in exaggeration, is exploited by media companies, not only politically to favor certain candidates but also to generate revenue through polarizing headlines and even clickbait. Political influence manifests itself in the digital realm (Hawdon et al, 2020) and influences the infosphere (Bawden and Robinson, 2018).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The success rate of such political language is demonstrated by the users forming closed clusters, like echo chambers or extremist movements, where the exposition to outer opinions only enforces the group's beliefs and belonging, radicalizing its users. These factors, namely the consumption of harmful contents and the formation of radicalized entities, negatively impact the social capital (Hawdon et al, 2020).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A systematic review of Hyperpartisan News detection: A Comprehensive Framework for Definition, Detection, and Evaluation

Maggini,

Bassi,

Otero

et al. 2024

Preprint

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Hyperpartisan news detection employs advanced technological methods to identify news articles characterized by extreme bias, reporting information in a highly polarized manner. The spread of such news could lead to detrimental effects in terms of social cohesion and facts-perception. This systematic review delves into the uncharted territory of hyperpartisan news detection, where a conspicuous absence of comprehensive studies has left a void in scholarly discourse. Following the PRISMA methodology, we selected 80 pertinent articles. The paper commences by addressing the inherent challenges arising from disparate and ambiguous definitions of hyperpartisan found in existing literature. Through a meticulous analysis, we propose a refined and comprehensive definition of hyperpartisan news, serving as a foundational framework for subsequent exploration. The review systematically evaluates Non-Deep Learning, Deep Learning (i.e. non-Transformer and Transformer-based methods), and mixed approaches employed in the identification of hyperpartisan content across various studies. By scrutinizing methodologies, algorithms, and key features, we categorize and compare their performances, shedding light on their efficacy and limitations. Furthermore, we conducted an examination of 36 datasets utilized in diverse studies, offering insights into the commonalities and variations in data sources. This inclusive dataset analysis contributes to a nuanced understanding of the challenges faced in the development and validation of hyperpartisan news detection models. This paper not only pioneers the systematic review of hyperpartisan news detection, but also establishes a robust foundation for future research endeavors in this critical domain. We emphasize the necessity of standardized definitions, rigorous evaluation metrics, and shared datasets to advance the field.

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Social Media Use, Political Polarization, and Social Capital: Is Social Media Tearing the U.S. Apart?

Cited by 9 publications

References 35 publications

A Systematic Review of Worldwide Causal and Correlational Evidence on Digital Media and Democracy

A Systematic Review of Worldwide Causal and Correlational Evidence on Digital Media and Democracy

A systematic review of worldwide causal and correlational evidence on digital media and democracy

A systematic review of Hyperpartisan News detection: A Comprehensive Framework for Definition, Detection, and Evaluation

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