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2022 | Buch

Introduction to the Role of Information and Communication Technologies in Polarization Kapitel lesen Erstes Kapitel lesen

Causes and Symptoms of Socio-Cultural Polarization

Role of Information and Communication Technologies

herausgegeben von: Prof. Israr Qureshi, Dr. Babita Bhatt, Samrat Gupta, Assist. Prof. Amit Anand Tiwari

Verlag: Springer Singapore

Enthalten in: Springer Professional "Wirtschaft+Technik" , Springer Professional "Technik" , Springer Professional "Wirtschaft"

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Über dieses Buch

This book explores cultural polarization resultant decline in social cohesion in society and how information and communication technologies exacerbate the cultural polarization through phenomenon such as “echo chambers” of information that damage the quality of online discourse. This book examines the nature of the information that is shared. Further this book identifies how the quality of online discourse and polarization induced through it leads to offline harm and negative outcomes in our society.

This book discusses how wide-ranging information exchange on digital media can lead to two scenarios, namely, the formation of the public sphere or the formation of echo chambers. While the public sphere, which promotes greater diversity, is a well-researched domain, substantially less research has been conducted on echo chambers in relation to sociocultural activities, products or services. This book states that polarization induced by the formation and evolution of echo chambers in sociocultural realm such as around epidemic outbreaks, vaccination, healthcare, education, and climate change is an emerging avenue of research due to its enormous impact in the shaping of our society. Therefore, this book argues that understanding the characteristics of sociocultural products related controversies is critical and valuable in developing interventions to reduce unhealthy societal and organizational polarisations.

The development of systematic knowledge is required to understand and address such a large scale and complex societal challenge so as to facilitate a deeper understanding and offer solutions to the growing issue of polarization in sociocultural context driven primarily through echo chambers. This book examines how technology enabled social media usage increases, and the complex structural outcomes such as echo chambers are likely to have an increasingly important role in shaping public opinion.

This book appeals to readers with interest in developing a deeper and broader understanding of issues and initiatives related to the polarization of opinions on cultural products. These include readers and scholars from various disciplines, along with engaged organizational leaders, activists, policy makers, and common citizens.

Inhaltsverzeichnis

Frontmatter
Introduction to the Role of Information and Communication Technologies in Polarization
Abstract
The year 2020 has been a testing ground for the progress towards a cohesive and sustainable future envisaged through the advancement in Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) (UN ECOSOC 2021). In a time of uncertainty, helplessness, and growing frustrations, we, as a society, found that ICTs can be a mixed blessing. We witnessed the power of ICTs in connecting people across the globe in their collective trauma and desperation (Garfin 2020), forming online mutual aid groups to offer help and support to those in need (Knearem et al. 2021) and building solidarity, and increasing outreach of movements for social justice (Frankfurt 2020). However, these positive trends were marred by the increase in information chaos (Forum on Information and Democracy (2021), the formation of echo chambers (Boutyline and Willer 2017), and the consolidation of extreme views and ideologies (Zeller 2021). These polarizing forces threaten the development-oriented nature of information society and deteriorate social cohesion, which is composed of trust, sense of belonging, and participation in community life (Chan et al. 2006). Social cohesion is the glue that holds the community together and is necessary for collaborative problem solving (Friedkin 2004).
Israr Qureshi, Babita Bhatt, Samrat Gupta, Amit Anand Tiwari

Techniques and Methods

Frontmatter
A Schelling-Opinion Model Based on Integration of Opinion Formation with Residential Segregation
Abstract
Residential segregation is a social and economic issue of concern, with implications at the economic, educational, and health levels. Fifty years ago, Schelling introduced a model of interacting agents of two types to warn that mild discriminatory mechanisms can still generate high global segregation levels. That work gave rise to many variants and was a pioneer in the agent-based approach to model social phenomena. In this work, we add a second feature to agents, their opinion state, giving rise to a variant that allows us to combine two mechanisms (social influence and mobility dynamics), which could relate to the emergence of polarized neighborhoods. Here, unhappy agents can move to another place (as in the classical Schelling model) or change opinions by imitating one of their neighbors. We show that these mechanisms create and sustain both segregation and polarization, by creating echo-chambers dynamically. We present results about the patterns in which clusters of different types and opinions arise under this model’s rules and study their variation depending on the model’s weight parameter, which determines the importance of each feature on the agent’s level of satisfaction with its neighborhood.
Victoria Arcón, Juan Pablo Pinasco, Inés Caridi
The Dynamics of Online Opinion Formation: Polarization Around the Vaccine Development for COVID-19
Abstract
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), social media-induced polarization caused due to the spread of misinformation related to the efficacy and side effects of a COVID-19 vaccine is potentially leading to vaccine hesitancy, one of the top ten threats to global health. In this study, we investigate the dynamics of social media polarization around COVID-19 vaccine which could be one of the causes of vaccine hesitancy. We use a simulation-based model of dynamical co-evolution in adaptive networks wherein interacting individuals influence each other’s opinions to arrive at a final network state. The opinion formation model simulates the temporal dynamics of social media polarization on the comments posted on different COVID-19 vaccine-development-related YouTube videos. The experimental results suggest that the degree of polarization in the online discourse, as measured by the time taken to form consensus, increases with recency in time. This finding significantly contributes to the highly contested debate around whether the flow of information on social media fosters or counteracts polarization.
Gaurav Jain, Avinash Bapu Sreenivas, Samrat Gupta, Amit Anand Tiwari
Investigating Dynamics of Polarization of YouTube True and Fake News Channels
Abstract
In the era of the information age where information is easily accessible and shared over the internet it has become increasingly difficult for people to judge whether the news is authentic or fake. The concept of fake news is not new, it has been going on for decades in the context of religious figures, politicians, and celebrities involved in the spread of misinformation. However, with the advent of the concept of channels, the owners of social media channels have started posting fake or controversial topics to increase the subscribers and viewership. The video-sharing and viewing platform, YouTube has increased in popularity in recent years for entertainment and news purposes. Thus, it has become crucial for controlling the spread of fake information as people subscribed to a particular channel would see more polarization as increased notifications of that channel go to its subscribers which generally superimpose the viewpoints of the channel onto its subscribers and other viewers. In this chapter, we try to analyze the behavior of users in fake news channels. After epidemiological modeling of users in both fake news channel and authentic news channel we deduce the movement of users from viewers to subscribers in that channel using the transfer coefficient values calculated from our model. From our study we find that there is enhanced polarization of views in case of fake news, and the chances of a person subscribing to a fake news is quite high once exposed as compared to true news channel.
Manideepto Das, Priya Singh, Adrija Majumdar

Social Aspects of Polarization

Frontmatter
Political Polarization in Australia: A Case Study of Brushfires in Australia
Abstract
The frequency and severity of bushfires have increased in the past decades across the globe. Despite the socio-economic and ecological devastation brought by the bushfires, there is a lack of serious actions preventing the risk of bushfire. We argue that this lack of action results from the political polarisation around the causes and mitigation strategies around the bushfire. Using the case study of 2019–2020 Australian bushfire, we specifically demonstrate the role of social media eco-chambers in reinforcing political affiliations and perpetuating extreme positions. Based on our analysis, we provide practical and theoretical insights on social media-induced political polarisation around climate change.
Zhiwen Zheng, Babita Bhatt
(De)polarizing ICT Debates of Reservations and Affirmative Action Policy: A Plea for Reparations in India and the U.S.
Abstract
This paper explores the role of information and communication technologies (ICT) in exacerbating social polarization in India and the United States. The paper aims to examine the role of ICT in shaping public opinion and group convictions about the reservation policy in India and the policy of affirmative action in the U.S. The proliferation of ICT platforms has meant the widening of spaces of social articulation across gender, race, religion, and castes whereby supporters and critics of these policies represent their claims and contestations. This widening creates concomitant insulation in “echo chambers” where exposure to content consistent with individual and group opinions reinforces existing beliefs, attitudes, and the resulting behavior. In both India and the U.S., the ideological systems and social values of dominant races and castes tend to dominate the multiple ICT platforms sowing further (mis)trust in the state-sponsored development policies aimed at educating and empowering subjugated groups such as Blacks in the U.S. and Dalits (ex-untouchables) in India. The paper argues that ICT mediated ideas of equality and justice fail to recognize centuries of racial and caste oppression and based on the content analysis of the data, a reparations policy in both nations that works towards the democratization of virtual spaces to represent the voices of the voiceless is one of the best remedies.
Kofi-Charu Nat Turner, Nagaraju Gundemeda, Sabiha Sultana

Cultural Aspects of Polarization

Frontmatter
Impact of ICT on Literary Censorship: A Study of Selected Controversial Texts in Contemporary India
Abstract
The study investigates cyber-attacks on three literary texts and their authors to follow contemporary India’s latest censorship trends. While this is a global trend, the chapter emphasizes the current Indian situation referring to the three critical cyber-attacks on literary texts and authors—Perumal Murugan, Hansda Sowvendra Shekhar, S. Hareesh, who saw a violent side of social media, concerning their literary productions. To understand the phenomenon of social media vilification, the study engages with two terms; Post-Truth and Echo Chambers. A reading of three texts, One Part Woman (2014), The Adivasi Will Not Dance (2017), and Meesha (2018) with their respective contexts, the chapter tries to explore the role of Social Media and various Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) in the changing trends of censorship in contemporary India. It is observed that diverse political and religious sections control censorship, affecting polarization in society. Using social media as a platform, lurking under the comfort of the echo chambers, chiefly stimulated by religion, politics, and socio-cultural aspects, polarization is uncomplicated to trigger violence against the authors.
Fujeena Abdul Kader, Upender Gundala
Investigating Social Media Induced Polarization on National Education Policy 2020
Abstract
Social media is the platform where individual person can share their opinions on any event through various social networking sites and this shows the diversity in beliefs of different persons belonging to different cultures which lead to the formation of echo chambers. Social media is playing a crucial role in increasing the polarization by creating echo chambers about current events. The main aim of the study was to assess the social media induced polarization and to study the opinion of social media users toward attitudinal change about National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. The study was conducted using both primary and secondary information. Descriptive and content analysis were used to analyse the data. The findings of the study revealed that maximum number of phrases included in the posts of twitter about NEP 2020 gives out the meaning for acceptance of NEP 2020 and the maximum number of social media users has an opinion that there is an attitudinal change about NEP 2020 due to the use of social media. Further research could be conducted using several social media platforms to determine the polarization of government policies.
Bhavna Sharma, Kirti Vasuja
Media Bias and Bollywood: An Untold Story
Abstract
It may not be hyperbole that the news media can create or destroy a celebrity in today’s world. Media bias can influence public opinion and perception towards topics that are critical to our society. When such issues or controversies are related to celebrities followed by millions of people, any distortion of facts to suit a particular agenda engenders a bitter debate on social media, making the society further polarized. Our study identifies media bias in the key Indian news outlets, based on the online articles published on their portals on major controversies in the entertainment domain, particularly Bollywood (Bollywood is the common name given to the Indian Hindi film industry, primarily based out of Mumbai, India). Further, we segment these media outlets based on the sentiments exhibited across these articles to identify ideological similarities between the prominent media houses. Our findings suggest that while a few media outlets don’t display a consistent bias, two distinct clusters of media outlets that have consistently opposing biases emerge. Our observation is essential for the users to understand and consume their news from media houses that display contrasting biases while reporting on Bollywood celebrities’ controversies. Our work helps in understanding that if users follow only the channels exhibiting similar bias; they are likely to unknowingly adopt the same prejudice, making them further polarized towards or against the celebrity.
Gaurav Jain, Snehanshu Suman, Samrat Gupta, Amit Anand Tiwari

Consequences and Outcomes of Polarization: Trends and Future Research Directions

Frontmatter
Polarisation in Information Ethics: The Debates Between Privacy and Common Goods in the Chinese Social Credit System
Abstract
This paper explores polarisation in information ethics through the case study of China’s Social Credit System (SCS), a data-powered, national reputation system which that aims to monitor, assess, and shape the behaviour of Chinese citizens and enterprises. Information ethics provides a normative framework to evaluate the role of technology in the development of a good society. However, the advent of big data has created polarisation on the ethical principles that should guide the storage, monitoring and tracking of big data. We situate this polarised debate in two ethical approaches: the common good approach and the individual liberty approach and apply the insights from these two approaches to SCS. The common good perspective views SCS as an important approach for cultivating good citizenship behaviour and promoting common good such as social stability and good governance. In contrast, the individual liberty perspective views SCS as a hindrance to individual autonomy and liberties. We discuss the implications of these findings using the ‘contextual integrity’ framework developed by Nissenbaum (Wash Law Rev 119(121):154–155, 2004; Privacy in context: technology, policy, and the integrity of social life. Stanford University Press, 2009) and suggest avenues for future research.
Zhiwen Zheng, Babita Bhatt
A Comprehensive Review on Countering Rumours in the Age of Online Social Media Platforms
Abstract
The power of rumour spreading in the age of online social media is intimidating. It can incite to insurrection, denigrate people, and damage financial markets, proving catastrophic for society. Despite widespread scholarly research and practice of developing a constellation of counter-rumour strategies, the massive waves of rumours are still sweeping over individuals, organisations, and societal institutions. To systematically tackle this issue, we present a comprehensive review and an epidemic framework to resolve three challenging aspects of rumour dissemination in online social media. First, we identify and explain the various forms of false and unverified information, relevance, and impact. Second, we address how social media can exacerbate the phenomenon of rumour spreading. Using the framework, the classification of rumour disseminating mechanisms on social media, allows us to develop counter-rumour strategies. Finally, we inspect past strategies employed in addressing rumour dissemination and use the framework to explore parallels between epidemic management and addressing rumour. We identify the highly neglected aspects of the current cumulative rumour response and factors that may be effectively targeted in the future. Our approach might support understanding social media’s role in propagating rumours and devising active measures in quelling this epidemic.
Amir Ebrahimi Fard, Trivik Verma
Future Research Directions in Polarization
Abstract
Information communication technologies (ICTs) have the potential to bring the world closer through facilitating communication and social interactions (Hampton and Wellman 2001; Qureshi 2009; Qureshi et al. 2018a). As the twentieth century came to an end and we stepped into the twenty-first century, scholars were optimistic about the power of ICTs to turn the planet into a global village (Wellman et al. 2001; Zhao 2006; Van Alstyne and Brynjolfsson 2005). It was thought that people could express themselves fairly, freely, and safely by using social networking sites and their evolved avatar, social platforms. There were some early cautious voices about these utopian views that highlighted issues of cyber balkanization and fragmentation of online space (Van Alstyne and Brynjolfsson 2005; Zembylas and Vrasidas 2005), but they were few and far between.
Israr Qureshi, Babita Bhat, Samrat Gupta, Amit Anand Tiwari
Backmatter
Metadaten
Titel
Causes and Symptoms of Socio-Cultural Polarization
herausgegeben von
Prof. Israr Qureshi
Dr. Babita Bhatt
Samrat Gupta
Assist. Prof. Amit Anand Tiwari
Copyright-Jahr
2022
Verlag
Springer Singapore
Electronic ISBN
978-981-16-5268-4
Print ISBN
978-981-16-5267-7
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-5268-4

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