When reading the feature column in BBC Science Focus, something caught my mind as a Hong Konger. It is about polarisation caused by internet.
What you do see is that it clearly amplifies existing tension through mechanisms that are now well-established in research, including echo chambers and filter bubbles that really work against-rather than with-people’s psychology.
The algorithm behind social networks makes us receive information almost only from our echo chamber. Or so call our own camp when it comes to a polarised society. And this can be causing problems.
The “engagement counts” in social networks controls what we see in our homepage. The more we share opinions on one side, the more viewpoints form that side is shown to us. In times like what now in HK, the friction quickly heats up because of this.
Seeing points from the other side might caused a lot of fights on the internet, it might makes things look more tensed. But during this whole process there can still be exchange on thoughts. In long term, more and more moderate person will emerge.
But the social networks hate moderates, as this is not good for the ads and algorithms.
In the time even the governors learn about the voice of their society base on social network, this is like the worst nightmare of all. This make them blindfolded when talking about society situations. They cannot see the whole picture of the society, creating really biased policies and give really polarised speeches.
Think that the whole society has their back(that’s what they see on the social networks based on algorithms), they don’t give a shit on those against them. They don’t care what the other side says. That’s when polarisation hits its max state.
The rules behind the algorithms needs to be clarified and changed for better good.
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