The Dark Shadow Shrine

embrace the darkness; that you may see the light nestled within it......

Thursday, September 07, 2017

Social media 'can be a bane and a boon in politics'

Click HERE

Bane:
1) when it is nasty
-Two women speakers recalled being threatened with sexual violence by people who disagreed with them
2) perpetuates misinformation
-due to its spontaneous nature and its lower, or even non-existent, thresholds of verification
3) prompts hasty judgment
-cues users to pass immediate judgments on complex issues that require more thought and deliberation
4) build echo chambers
-These are "chambers" which lack diverse viewpoints because people over time block from their news feeds what they dislike to hear....echo chambers do form, with opposing sides on an issue pushing each other further apart, worsening polarisation.
But without social media, people could end up living in worse echo chambers, consuming only from media outlets that reflect their own biases. Social media at least allows for some "incidental exposure" to contrary views.

Boon:
1) forges more direct and authentic connections
It also has the potential to build more direct and authentic links between voters and politicians, making the latter more accountable and responsive.
The German government does this well by using social media as a two-way channel. It tries its best to answer questions posted on its Facebook page...Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, who would post a photo on Facebook and ask Singaporeans to guess where he had taken it...."That's a personal touch which I really enjoy. We do have the impression that he can connect with people, and he's just one of us," ....

2) projects underrepresented views
- provides a platform for disadvantaged or minority groups and viewpoints to get organised and be heard ... Egyptian protesters in the 2011 Arab Spring using social media to communicate and avoid the government crackdown.

Qn: To what extent can social media influence politics?