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Twitter and largely social media encourages echo chambers. I try to be a contrarian on HN but in some threads, especially around social justice and political th

Twitter and largely social media encourages echo chambers. I try to be a contrarian on HN but in some threads, especially around social justice and political threads, it definitely has a tendency to become one. When 10 people are agreeing vicariously and there is a sense that any dissent is crushed, time to be the person playing devil’s advocate and challenge them. This can happen in a small context and it usually is harmless. But on Twitter, you’re going to feel the weight of the world when you go against the grain. The mob will chase after you. They’ll become more powerful as bystanders join. You will be crushed. Others will take a note and feel the chilling effect.

colechristensen 5y ago
HN seems to be the least echo-chamber groupthink general population around excluding a few topics where one position is particularly popular. I think this is mostly because of the high quality moderation of dang and associated cultural norms here.
- systemvoltage 5y ago
  Agreed it’s probably the best discussion forum. My point was that even the best has the tendency to become an echo-chamber. It’s worth reading Christakis’s 2009 book “Connected: Surprising power of social networks”. It’s mind blowing that social networks are not regulated to some form. I don’t mean censorship but meme-acceleration and propagation of information needs to be curbed. Unfortunately it goes against engagement metrics and will never happen.
shadowgovt 5y ago
It is entirely possible for the experiment of putting every user in the network into a giant echo chamber with relatively low walls, no real concept of "subtopics" or "forums," and no moderation but self-moderation (which does not scale when thousands of individuals choose to spend a scant five of their seconds haranguing you)... ... can fail. As in, there's no guarantee the system so designed is good, or healthy, or net-gain valuable.
Nasrudith 5y ago
I don't get it, isn't social media is an anarchic free for all compared to traditional media publications? Newspapers were infamous for excluding other points of view especially when drumming up panic and not including "here is why that is a load of crap" letters to the editor.

colechristensen 5y ago

HN seems to be the least echo-chamber groupthink general population around excluding a few topics where one position is particularly popular. I think this is mostly because of the high quality moderation of dang and associated cultural norms here.

systemvoltage 5y ago
Agreed it’s probably the best discussion forum. My point was that even the best has the tendency to become an echo-chamber. It’s worth reading Christakis’s 2009 book “Connected: Surprising power of social networks”. It’s mind blowing that social networks are not regulated to some form. I don’t mean censorship but meme-acceleration and propagation of information needs to be curbed. Unfortunately it goes against engagement metrics and will never happen.

shadowgovt 5y ago

It is entirely possible for the experiment of putting every user in the network into a giant echo chamber with relatively low walls, no real concept of "subtopics" or "forums," and no moderation but self-moderation (which does not scale when thousands of individuals choose to spend a scant five of their seconds haranguing you)... ... can fail. As in, there's no guarantee the system so designed is good, or healthy, or net-gain valuable.

Nasrudith 5y ago

I don't get it, isn't social media is an anarchic free for all compared to traditional media publications? Newspapers were infamous for excluding other points of view especially when drumming up panic and not including "here is why that is a load of crap" letters to the editor.