Algorithmic Curation and Users’ Civic Attitudes: A Study on Facebook News Feed Results
Facebook users are exposed to diverse news and political content; this means that Facebook is a significant tool for the enhancement of civic participation and engagement in politics. However, it has been argued that Facebook, through its algorithmic curation reinforces the pre-existing attitudes of...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-12-01
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| Series: | Information |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2078-2489/12/12/522 |
| _version_ | 1797503658546429952 |
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| author | Venetia Papa Thomas Photiadis |
| author_facet | Venetia Papa Thomas Photiadis |
| author_sort | Venetia Papa |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Facebook users are exposed to diverse news and political content; this means that Facebook is a significant tool for the enhancement of civic participation and engagement in politics. However, it has been argued that Facebook, through its algorithmic curation reinforces the pre-existing attitudes of individuals, rather than challenging or potentially altering them. The objective of this study is to elucidate the emotional and behavioural impact of the personalization of Facebook users’ News Feeds results, and thereby to uncover a possible link between their online and offline civic attitudes. Firstly, we investigate the extent to which users’ Facebook News Feeds results are personalized and customized to fit users’ pre-existing civic attitudes and political interests. Secondly, we explore whether users embody new roles as a result of their emotional and behavioural interaction with political content on Facebook. Our methodology is based on a quantitative survey involving 108 participants. Our findings indicate that, while Facebook can potentially expose users to varying political views and beliefs, it tends to reinforce existing civic attitudes and validate what users already hold to be true. Furthermore, we find that users themselves often assume a proactive stance towards Facebook News Feed results, acquiring roles in which they filter and even censor the content to which they are exposed and thus trying to obfuscate algorithmic curation. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T03:53:51Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-9919aa1ba2bb44a88c2055e6c43929cd |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2078-2489 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T03:53:51Z |
| publishDate | 2021-12-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Information |
| spelling | doaj.art-9919aa1ba2bb44a88c2055e6c43929cd2023-11-23T08:51:41ZengMDPI AGInformation2078-24892021-12-01121252210.3390/info12120522Algorithmic Curation and Users’ Civic Attitudes: A Study on Facebook News Feed ResultsVenetia Papa0Thomas Photiadis1Dat-Act Lab, Department of Social and Political Sciences Programme of Journalism, University of Cyprus, P.O. Box 20537, Nicosia 1678, CyprusDat-Act Lab, Department of Social and Political Sciences Programme of Journalism, University of Cyprus, P.O. Box 20537, Nicosia 1678, CyprusFacebook users are exposed to diverse news and political content; this means that Facebook is a significant tool for the enhancement of civic participation and engagement in politics. However, it has been argued that Facebook, through its algorithmic curation reinforces the pre-existing attitudes of individuals, rather than challenging or potentially altering them. The objective of this study is to elucidate the emotional and behavioural impact of the personalization of Facebook users’ News Feeds results, and thereby to uncover a possible link between their online and offline civic attitudes. Firstly, we investigate the extent to which users’ Facebook News Feeds results are personalized and customized to fit users’ pre-existing civic attitudes and political interests. Secondly, we explore whether users embody new roles as a result of their emotional and behavioural interaction with political content on Facebook. Our methodology is based on a quantitative survey involving 108 participants. Our findings indicate that, while Facebook can potentially expose users to varying political views and beliefs, it tends to reinforce existing civic attitudes and validate what users already hold to be true. Furthermore, we find that users themselves often assume a proactive stance towards Facebook News Feed results, acquiring roles in which they filter and even censor the content to which they are exposed and thus trying to obfuscate algorithmic curation.https://www.mdpi.com/2078-2489/12/12/522social mediacivic participationalgorithmic curationincidental exposurecustomization |
| spellingShingle | Venetia Papa Thomas Photiadis Algorithmic Curation and Users’ Civic Attitudes: A Study on Facebook News Feed Results Information social media civic participation algorithmic curation incidental exposure customization |
| title | Algorithmic Curation and Users’ Civic Attitudes: A Study on Facebook News Feed Results |
| title_full | Algorithmic Curation and Users’ Civic Attitudes: A Study on Facebook News Feed Results |
| title_fullStr | Algorithmic Curation and Users’ Civic Attitudes: A Study on Facebook News Feed Results |
| title_full_unstemmed | Algorithmic Curation and Users’ Civic Attitudes: A Study on Facebook News Feed Results |
| title_short | Algorithmic Curation and Users’ Civic Attitudes: A Study on Facebook News Feed Results |
| title_sort | algorithmic curation and users civic attitudes a study on facebook news feed results |
| topic | social media civic participation algorithmic curation incidental exposure customization |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2078-2489/12/12/522 |
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