Filter bubble

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

There are many contexts where homophily can be understood as beneficial.

“Notably, there are a great many contexts where such homophily can be understood as beneficial:”

• cites Helberger, 2019 sourceSupported

May combine two claims.

Twitter follower maps in Australia and Norway show interest-driven clusters of dense interconnection but few significant disconnects across the overall network.

“For Twitter, comprehensive maps of follower connections in the Australian (Bruns et al., 2017) and Norwegian Twitterspheres (Bruns & Enli, 2018) have similarly shown the existence of interest-driven clusters of dense interconnection around topics from politics to sports, but point to few significant disconnects across the overall network.”

• cites Bruns et al., 2017 sourcePartly supported

  The Analysis and Network Structure sections describe densely connected, predominantly thematic clusters in the Australian follower network, including politics and sports. The paper also describes some clusters as comparatively isolated, but does not establish that there are few significant disconnects across the overall network; its principal map focuses on 255,000 best-connected accounts. The Norwegian findings belong to the separately cited source and are not assessed here. (LLM, conf=0.82)

  Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
• cites Bruns & Enli, 2018 sourceSupported

May combine two claims.

The empirical evidence does not support the existence of echo chambers and filter bubbles as actual, observable phenomena in public communication; there is a pronounced absence of evidence that genuine filter bubbles or echo chambers are real, outside of highly specific and unusual contexts.

“While the empirical evidence does not support the existence of echo chambers and filter bubbles as actual, observable phenomena in public communication”

• Also stated in: § SOCIAL AND POLITICAL RELEVANCE AND IMPACT · boosted

  “there is a pronounced absence of evidence that genuine filter bubbles or echo chambers are real, outside of highly specific and unusual contexts”

• cites Bruns, 2019Not matched

  Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.

• cites Dubois & Blank, 2018 sourcePartly supported

  The Discussion (page unavailable) reports little evidence of echo chambers across the full media environment, but identifies a small group for whom an echo chamber is more likely. The Background (page unavailable) says the study focuses on people’s information choices rather than algorithmic filtering, so it does not support the claim about filter bubbles or the categorical claim that neither phenomenon is observable. (LLM, conf=0.90)

  Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
• cites Zuiderveen Borgesius et al., 2016 sourcePartly supported

  The 6. CONCLUSION says there is no empirical evidence warranting strong worries about filter bubbles, and the section on prevalence of self-selected personalisation says that, if echo chambers exist, their walls are porous. That supports skepticism about their prevalence or effects, but not the stronger claim that empirical evidence does not support their existence as observable phenomena in public communication. The paper does not confine their existence to highly specific or unusual contexts. (LLM, conf=0.87)

  Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S2 (checkable), S4 (based). May combine two claims.

Pariser largely fails to provide a clear definition for the 'filter bubble' concept; it remains vague and founded in anecdotes.

“Pariser largely fails to provide a clear definition for the 'filter bubble' concept; it remains vague and founded in anecdotes.”

• cites Pariser, 2011aNot matched

  Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.

Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

Terminological confusion about the definitions of 'filter bubble' and 'echo chamber' and their interrelationship has significantly hindered the ability to test them through rigorous research.

“This terminological confusion -about the exact definitions of either term in itself, and about their interrelationship with each other -has significantly hindered our ability to test them through rigorous research.”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing). May combine two claims.

In recent discussions, the term 'filter bubble' is no longer primarily applied to search results; today, filter bubbles are more frequently envisaged as disruptions to information flows in online and especially social media.

“However, in such recent discussions the term 'filter bubble' is no longer primarily applied to search results, as it was in Pariser's original conceptualisation; today, filter bubbles are more frequently envisaged as disruptions to information flows in online and especially social media.”

• cites Pariser, 2015Not matched

  Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.

• cites Newman et al., 2016Not matched

  Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.

May combine two claims.

For search, personalisation in general and news-specific search results appear to be exceptionally limited.

“at least for search, it seems that the filter bubble idea has deflated: far from the vision (or threat) of an individually unique Daily Me, personalisation in general and newsspecific search results still appears to be exceptionally limited.”

• cites Nechushtai and Lewis, 2018Not matched

  Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.

• cites Haim et al., 2018 sourceNot checked — no full text of the source
• cites Krafft et al., 2018Not matched

  Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.

Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

Cass Sunstein never clearly defines the 'echo chamber' concept.

“the originator of the 'echo chamber' concept, the legal scholar Cass Sunstein, never clearly defines the latter term either.”

• cites Sunstein, 2001Not matched

  Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

The definitional blur at the heart of the filter bubble concept did not prevent it from gaining considerable currency in scientific as well as mainstream societal discourse.

“This definitional blur at the heart of the concept did not prevent it from gaining considerable currency in scientific as well as mainstream societal discourse, however:”

• cites Obama, 2017Not matched

  Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.

May combine two claims.

Localised homophily in specific contexts and spaces does not fundamentally undermine the general heterogeneity of the hybrid media ecology, and cannot usually prevent its participants from encountering a broad range of information and perspectives.

“In other words, the localised homophily that is likely to exist in specific contexts and spaces does not fundamentally undermine the general heterogeneity of the hybrid media ecology, and cannot usually prevent its participants from encountering -willingly or unwillingly -a broad range of information and perspectives.”

May combine two claims.

Network science studies that look beyond inherently ideological communities find significantly less homophily and polarisation in non-political contexts, and detect considerable cross-connection between groups that populate ideological spaces.

“As a result, network science studies that look beyond such inherently ideological communities find significantly less homophily and polarisation in non-political contexts, and also detect considerable crossconnection between the groups that populate those ideological spaces.”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing), S4 (based). May combine two claims.

For social media, the debate about filter bubbles and echo chambers continues, with various studies both supporting and denying their existence.

“For social media, on the other hand, the debate about filter bubbles and echo chambers continues, with various studies both supporting and denying their existence.”

May combine two claims.

The echo chamber and filter bubble concepts centre on the individual media user and their treatment by search engines and social media platforms, whereas earlier concerns about fragmentation tackled aggregate, population-wide trends.

“Notably, especially in comparison with earlier concerns about the fragmentation of national mediaspheres as a result of the multiplication of cable channels or online information sources, or about social stratification due to diverging media literacies amongst different parts of the population, the echo chamber and filter bubble concepts clearly centre on the individual media user and their tre”

May combine two claims.

Large-scale, longitudinal, survey-based observations may be valid at an aggregate level, but show considerable variation for individual communities and individuals.

“such large-scale, longitudinal, survey-based observations may be valid at an aggregate level, but show considerable variation for individual communities and individuals:”

Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

The myth of the filter bubble is one thing: a big misunderstanding.

“"The myth of the filter bubble", above all, "is one thing: a big misunderstanding" (Meineck, 2018, n.p.;my translation)”

• cites Meineck, 2018Not matched

  Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing), S4 (based).

Mainstream media have operationalised the filter bubble concept to suggest that only their orderly and professional gatekeeping procedures, and not the collective and self-organising gatewatching processes on social media, can sufficiently inform citizens.

“Mainstream media have operationalised it to suggest that only their orderly and professional gatekeeping procedures, and not the collective and self-organising gatewatching processes on social media, have the ability to sufficiently inform citizens, for example”

Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

To fully detach from diversity, a networked individual would have to enter the echo chamber and lose his or her diverse connections, replacing them with more and stronger connections within the echo chamber.

“as O'Hara and Stevens describe it, "a networked individual would have to enter the echo chamber and somehow lose his or her diverse connections, replacing them with more and stronger connections within the echo chamber"”

• cites O'Hara and StevensNot matched

  Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.

• cites [2015]Not matched

  Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S2 (checkable), S3 (load-bearing), S4 (based).

Such moral panics often also serve as part of the rear-guard defence of the old elites that stand to lose the most from any change to the status quo.

“Further, such moral panics often also serve as part of the rear-guard defence of the old elites that stand to lose the most from any change to the status quo”

May combine two claims.

For many users, social media have positively increased the diversity of their information diet and prevent them from becoming locked into ideological monocultures.

“This means that, contrary to concerns about the fragmentation of society as a result of filter bubbles, for many users social media have positively increased the diversity of their information diet, and prevent them from becoming locked into ideological monocultures.”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing), S4 (based).

The concepts 'echo chamber' and 'filter bubble' were introduced not by scholars in media, communication, internet or related fields of study, but by authors working well outside their area of expertise.

“Concepts like 'echo chamber' and 'filter bubble' -which, notably, were introduced not by scholars in media, communication, internet, or related fields of study, but by authors working well outside their area of expertise (Pariser is an activist and tech entrepreneur, Sunstein is a legal scholar)”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S4 (based).

For societies where ideological boundaries align with clear economic, ethnic or religious divisions, and where bipolar two-party systems prevent the emergence of centrist consensus alternatives to the polarised status quo, the challenge of preventing or undoing the ossification of ideological perspectives into partisan group identities is especially acute.

“For societies where ideological boundaries align with clear economic, ethnic, or religious divisions, and where bipolar two-party systems prevent the emergence of centrist consensus alternatives to the polarised status quo, this challenge is especially acute.”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S2 (checkable), S3 (load-bearing), S4 (based).

The claim that audiences and voters diverging from well-trodden paths do so because they are caught in technologically created filter bubbles has the considerable added benefit that the journalists and politicians making that claim are never required to confront their own failings.

“the claim that audiences and voters diverging from these well-trodden paths do so because they are caught in technologically created filter bubbles and can no longer be reached by reasoned, sensible argument also has the considerable added benefit that the journalists and politicians making that claim are never required to confront their own failings”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing), S4 (based).

Establishment politicians have used the filter bubble concept to assert that only their well-designed party structures, and not the populist and/or grassroots models of their opponents, can provide strong and stable leadership for their countries.

“establishment politicians have used it to assert that only their welldesigned party structures, and not the populist and/or grassroots models of their opponents, can provide strong and stable leadership for their countries”

May combine two claims.

The network structures of Australian and Norwegian Twitterspheres facilitate a largely unencumbered flow of information across the entire user base and would be unable to support the existence of filter bubbles.

“otherwise, the network structures of both Twitterspheres facilitate a largely unencumbered flow of information across the entire user base and would therefore be unable to support the existence of filter bubbles.”

May combine two claims.

If there is a filter at all, it is not the algorithmic filter postulated by the 'filter bubble' concept; rather, the more critical filter exists in our heads and leads us to adopt dominant, negotiated and oppositional stances towards information from a multitude of sources.

“If there is a filter at all, then, it is not the algorithmic filter postulated by the 'filter bubble' concept, which prevents us altogether from seeing 'different' content that runs counter to our own worldviews -rather, the more critical filter exists (more weakly formed perhaps in the societal mainstream, more strongly developed on the extreme fringes) in our heads, and variously leads us to ad”

• cites Hall, 1980Not matched

  Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing), S4 (based).

The relative prevalence of the filter bubble idea in different countries' political debates may also indicate the depth of broader concerns about their political and democratic processes.

“the relative prevalence of the filter bubble idea in different countries' political debates may also indicate the depth of broader concerns about their political and democratic processes”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

The opportunity to connect with like-minded others has attracted users to computer-mediated communication platforms since early Usenet.

“since dial-in bulletin board systems and the early Usenet first became popular, it has been this very opportunity to connect with like-minded others that has attracted users to computer-mediated communication platforms (e.g., Baym, 2000).”

• cites Baym, 2000 sourceNot checked — no full text of the source

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S4 (based).

To result in a notable divergence in information diets, echo chambers or filter bubbles would require both selective exposure and selective avoidance.

“In order to result in a notable divergence in the information diets experienced by members and nonmembers of an echo chamber or filter bubble, they would actively have to both seek out engagement with like-minded others (in other words, pursue selective exposure), and stay away from those who might introduce them to alternative views (that is, practice selective avoidance).”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S2 (checkable), S4 (based).

These moral panics point to the persistence of a simplistic and naïve understanding of media effects both amongst the general public and amongst media and political actors.

“These moral panics point to the persistence of a simplistic and naïve understanding of media effects both amongst the general public and amongst media and political actors.”

May combine two claims.

Fact checks may still be valuable to prevent mainstream users from drifting off to the fringes, but for those already on the fringe they only serve to deepen their disconnect from rational public debate.

“Fact checks may still be valuable to prevent mainstream users from drifting off to the fringes -but for those already on the fringe they only serve to deepen their disconnect from rational public debate.”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S2 (checkable), S4 (based).

Current societal transformations are not fuelled simply by surface factors such as the communication technologies and platforms preferred by new political actors and their established opponents, but are an expression of far more fundamental social, economic, societal and political challenges.

“such transformations are not fuelled simply by surface factors such as the communication technologies and platforms preferred by these new political actors and their established opponents, respectively -rather, they are an expression of far more fundamental social, economic, societal, and political challenges”

May combine two claims.

These new phenomena are driven by individualised personalisation processes and possible user interventions in such personalisation.

“While such earlier concerns tackled aggregate, population-wide trends, therefore, these new phenomena are driven by individualised personalisation processes (and possible user interventions in such personalisation).”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S2 (checkable). May combine two claims.

While not neutral, new media and communication technologies and their providers are neither inherently good nor evil, but can be employed by users to serve socially and societally beneficial as well as disruptive ends.

“while not neutral, the technologies and their providers are neither inherently good nor evil in this, but can be employed by their users to serve socially and societally beneficial as well as disruptive ends”

May combine two claims.

The concepts 'echo chamber' and 'filter bubble' have served to obscure considerably more pressing societal problems and to misdirect scholarly, journalistic and regulatory attention to the technological rather than the social and societal factors underpinning these problems.

“have served to obscure considerably more pressing societal problems, and to misdirect scholarly, journalistic, and regulatory attention to the technological rather than social and societal factors underpinning these problems”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing), S4 (based).

Network science approaches mainly tend to look for evidence of homophily: a preference for interconnections between participants with similar interests, views, and ideologies.

“such network science approaches mainly tend to look for evidence of homophily: a preference for interconnections between participants with similar interests, views, and ideologies.”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S4 (based). May combine two claims.

Phenomena such as homophily (and heterophily) can be readily observed in contemporary communicative spaces, as can the algorithmic shaping and personalisation of newsfeeds and information streams and users' efforts to control such shaping.

“Phenomena such as homophily (as well as heterophily) can be readily observed in contemporary communicative spaces, as can the algorithmic shaping and personalisation of newsfeeds and information streams (as well users' efforts to control such shaping).”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S2 (checkable), S4 (based). May combine two claims.

That the message of media effects research is still not getting through to the general public shows the seductive nature of moral panic narratives and must count as a failing for media and communication research.

“That this message is still not getting through to the general public shows the seductive nature of moral panic narratives, but must also count as a failing for media and communication research.”