Let's move on to polarization. What does it consist of?
Polarization can be defined as the organization of public opinion into opposing ideological poles, whether for political, economic or social reasons. This causes greater rejection of people who think differently from you and creates echo chambers with those who think the same way.
I am interested because I work in communication and I find it a very interesting phenomenon to study since it is on the rise in recent years. I would love to be able to dedicate myself to something related to this.
What role do social networks play in this phenomenon?
They have a role core topic, because they allow users to connect with people who identify with them, either by interests or habits, and to share information - true or not - and magnify these ideas, even generating negative feelings against those who do not think like them.
Give us an example.
In 2017, Facebook realized that people weren't interacting as much anymore. So they changed the algorithm to sort posts so that users would see what was most interesting to them. But the algorithm made more content appear that directly contradicted their opinions. So it created discussions and thus became a more aggressive platform. It provokes non-open discussions. There is interaction, but hostile.
What do you think is the biggest problem in finding a center and leaving polarization aside?
Downplaying the importance of what the other values. It has been seen in the pandemic: we young people don't understand the needs of the elderly and vice versa. When we downplay what the other feels, we make a big mistake. What is not important to me may be important to someone else. If we don't realize that, we cause a breakdown in relationships.
Is there a bad guy in the movie?
It's easy to blame someone, but reality is not black and white: it has many shades. I don't think there is one person who is looking to disunite... The "like" button was a great idea at the time, as it was intended so that people could tell their friends that they liked your content. But now you can see that it has become controversial, as it can cause a lot of emotional breakdowns.
We can't blame the rrss. They are great inventions that can be put to good use. But like any invention, it has its good and bad things. The topic is to know how to use it and fix the problems that arise.
What can be done?
The problem is when we are passive when it comes to acting on this reality. From those working in the technology industry, to develop solutions. From politicians, to create a safe environment for Internet users. And from society, to stand up to this and denounce the damage it is doing. This is where we can take a step forward to try to change things.
