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What The Heck is an Echo Chamber?

An echo chamber describes "an environment where a person only encounters information or opinions that reflect or reinforce their own." Echo chambers are responsible for creating misinformation, which can overshadow someones ability to accept new ideas or information. These environments can be dangerous and extremely difficult to break away from, especially with having the internet so easily accessible. With a few clicks, people have access to endless information solidifying their values and beliefs.

People that seek out echo chambers are blinding themselves to other opinions and are subconsciously using this as a method for themselves to feel more secure about their stance on a certain topic. With the rise in popularity and usage of social media platforms, echo chambers have EVEN MORE of an online presence.

In an draft paper written by Walter Quattrociocchi, Antonio Scala, and Cass Sunstein, these social scientists collected substantial evidence proving that Facebook tend to publish content that promotes their values and beliefs. Facebook users also have the ability to join "Facebook groups" with other likeminded users. Having access to joining Facebook groups allows people to avoid ideas that go against there own, making them feel more powerful and even more resistant to other opinions. I think that because of social media and having access to platforms that allow us to share content out to millions of people, there is no stopping echo chambers from forming. How can we get people to listen to ideas that they do not want to? Is it at all possible?

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/in-theory/wp/2016/07/14/confirmed-echo-chambers-exist-on-social-media-but-what-can-we-do-about-them/

https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2795110


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