Identifying the Symptoms of Destructive PolarisationAxel Bruns
This document discusses research into destructive political polarization. It presents a project studying polarization across multiple countries over time using various online data sources. Five symptoms of destructive polarization are identified: breakdown of communication, discrediting information, erasure of complexities, disproportionate attention to extremes, and exclusion through emotions. A referendum in Australia on an Indigenous Voice is used as a case study, and analysis of social media content around it reveals examples of several symptoms, including extreme views receiving attention and complex issues being oversimplified. Further research perspectives are discussed, such as more systematically diagnosing symptoms and evaluating polarization across different forms and platforms.
Types of Polarisation and Their Operationalisation in Digital and Social Medi...Axel Bruns
This document discusses types of polarization that can be studied in digital media, including micro, meso, and macro levels as well as issue-based, ideological, affective, perceived, and interactional forms. It describes a research project studying drivers of partisanship and polarization across multiple countries over time using digital methods like topic modeling, sentiment analysis, and network analysis. Examples are given of analyzing polarization on topics like climate change on Twitter and political rhetoric on Facebook. Finally, it outlines perspectives on further defining symptoms of dysfunctional polarization and developing more systematic diagnostic approaches.
The Filter in Our (?) Heads: Digital Media and PolarisationAxel Bruns
Invited presentation in a seminar series organised by the Centre for Deliberative Democracy & Global Governance at the University of Canberra, the QUT Digital Media Research Centre, and the News and Media Research Centre at the University of Canberra.
Determining the Drivers and Dynamics of Partisanship and Polarisation in Onli...Axel Bruns
Paper by Axel Bruns, Katharina Esau, Tariq Choucair, Sebastian Svegaard, and Samantha Vilkins, presented at the ECREA Political Communication conference in Berlin, 1 Sep. 2023.
Towards a New Empiricism: Polarisation across Four DimensionsAxel Bruns
Paper by Axel Bruns, Tariq Choucair, Katharina Esau, Sebastian Svegaard, and Samantha Vilkins, presented at the IAMCR 2023 conference, Lyon, 9-13 July 2023.
Gatewatching 11: Echo Chambers? Filter Bubbles? Reviewing the EvidenceAxel Bruns
Lecture 11 in the course From Gatekeeping to Gatewatching: News and Journalism in the Digital Age.
This lecture series addresses the continuing transformation of the production and consumption of journalism in the contemporary media environment. It provides a brief history of the impact of participatory online news production and engagement practices – from the first wave of citizen journalism to the social media platforms of today – on how news content is disseminated and experienced; examines reactive and proactive responses to these changes by news organisations and journalists; and explores the longer-term impact of these developments on the public sphere, touching on the power of social media platforms and their role in shaping their users’ information diets.
Readings are largely drawn from Gatewatching and News Curation: Journalism, Social Media, and the Public Sphere (Bruns, 2018), with additional readings recommended for selected lectures.
Reading for this lecture:
Bruns, A. (2022). Echo Chambers? Filter Bubbles? The Misleading Metaphors That Obscure the Real Problem. In M. Pérez-Escolar & J. M. Noguera-Vivo (Eds.), Hate Speech and Polarization in Participatory Society (pp. 33–48). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003109891-4
Identifying the Symptoms of Destructive PolarisationAxel Bruns
This document discusses research into destructive political polarization. It presents a project studying polarization across multiple countries over time using various online data sources. Five symptoms of destructive polarization are identified: breakdown of communication, discrediting information, erasure of complexities, disproportionate attention to extremes, and exclusion through emotions. A referendum in Australia on an Indigenous Voice is used as a case study, and analysis of social media content around it reveals examples of several symptoms, including extreme views receiving attention and complex issues being oversimplified. Further research perspectives are discussed, such as more systematically diagnosing symptoms and evaluating polarization across different forms and platforms.
Types of Polarisation and Their Operationalisation in Digital and Social Medi...Axel Bruns
This document discusses types of polarization that can be studied in digital media, including micro, meso, and macro levels as well as issue-based, ideological, affective, perceived, and interactional forms. It describes a research project studying drivers of partisanship and polarization across multiple countries over time using digital methods like topic modeling, sentiment analysis, and network analysis. Examples are given of analyzing polarization on topics like climate change on Twitter and political rhetoric on Facebook. Finally, it outlines perspectives on further defining symptoms of dysfunctional polarization and developing more systematic diagnostic approaches.
The Filter in Our (?) Heads: Digital Media and PolarisationAxel Bruns
Invited presentation in a seminar series organised by the Centre for Deliberative Democracy & Global Governance at the University of Canberra, the QUT Digital Media Research Centre, and the News and Media Research Centre at the University of Canberra.
Determining the Drivers and Dynamics of Partisanship and Polarisation in Onli...Axel Bruns
Paper by Axel Bruns, Katharina Esau, Tariq Choucair, Sebastian Svegaard, and Samantha Vilkins, presented at the ECREA Political Communication conference in Berlin, 1 Sep. 2023.
Towards a New Empiricism: Polarisation across Four DimensionsAxel Bruns
Paper by Axel Bruns, Tariq Choucair, Katharina Esau, Sebastian Svegaard, and Samantha Vilkins, presented at the IAMCR 2023 conference, Lyon, 9-13 July 2023.
Gatewatching 11: Echo Chambers? Filter Bubbles? Reviewing the EvidenceAxel Bruns
Lecture 11 in the course From Gatekeeping to Gatewatching: News and Journalism in the Digital Age.
This lecture series addresses the continuing transformation of the production and consumption of journalism in the contemporary media environment. It provides a brief history of the impact of participatory online news production and engagement practices – from the first wave of citizen journalism to the social media platforms of today – on how news content is disseminated and experienced; examines reactive and proactive responses to these changes by news organisations and journalists; and explores the longer-term impact of these developments on the public sphere, touching on the power of social media platforms and their role in shaping their users’ information diets.
Readings are largely drawn from Gatewatching and News Curation: Journalism, Social Media, and the Public Sphere (Bruns, 2018), with additional readings recommended for selected lectures.
Reading for this lecture:
Bruns, A. (2022). Echo Chambers? Filter Bubbles? The Misleading Metaphors That Obscure the Real Problem. In M. Pérez-Escolar & J. M. Noguera-Vivo (Eds.), Hate Speech and Polarization in Participatory Society (pp. 33–48). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003109891-4
The Filter in Our (?) Heads: Digital Media and PolarisationAxel Bruns
This document discusses digital media and polarization. It notes that ready access to information through digital media enables the spread of misinformation, hyperpartisanship, and polarization, but also enables social connection and community support. Understanding polarization requires assessing it over time, across different issues and groups, and comparing its levels across political and media systems. Combating polarization may involve protecting mainstream society from extremes, deradicalizing extremist groups, and improving media literacy, while preventing its abuse. Multidisciplinary research is needed using frameworks from various fields.
What do Twitter conversations tell us about petitioning?UK Parliament Data
1. Twitter conversations about petitions vary greatly in the level of engagement beyond just signing, from a few tweets to thousands, suggesting people sign petitions as a form of slacktivism or to genuinely engage in the issue.
2. Analysis of tweets about the grouse shooting petition found discussions of the positives and negatives of hunting, and criticism of the polarized parliamentary debate as favoring one side.
3. Those tweeting about petitions interact in closed communities with those they already agree with, indicating conversations reinforce existing views rather than consider different perspectives.
Beyond the Bubble: A Critical Review of the Evidence for Echo Chambers and Fi...Axel Bruns
This document provides a critical review of evidence for the existence of echo chambers and filter bubbles. It summarizes that while some case studies have found ideological clustering and selective exposure in social media, broader network mapping and large-scale studies show more complex and interconnected online information networks. It argues that concerns about echo chambers and filter bubbles tend to oversimplify online behavior and overestimate the power of algorithms, when in reality people encounter a diverse range of information online. The real problem, it concludes, is political polarization rather than communicative fragmentation.
The document discusses a study analyzing social media discussions among Scottish voters regarding Scottish independence. It found that 72% of those expressing an opinion online supported independence, compared to most polls showing less than 50% support. Males were more likely than females to cite specific government policy reasons for their vote. The economy was the most discussed policy area, but views were divided. Other highly discussed topics included democracy, nuclear weapons, and attitudes toward England. The study aims to understand how Scots form opinions to inform campaign strategies rather than predict the referendum outcome.
Traditional direct democracy systems have problems like high signature thresholds that only the rich can access, too many initiatives on ballots, and voters being confused by spin. A citizens' assembly can address these issues by selecting a small number of initiatives for referendum after review and debate. Unlike politicians, citizens' assemblies are highly trusted by voters, making them ideal for leading informative debates prior to votes. A citizens' assembly-enhanced direct democracy could improve laws and voter knowledge through its process.
Gatewatching 10: New(s) Publics in the Public SphereAxel Bruns
Lecture 10 in the course From Gatekeeping to Gatewatching: News and Journalism in the Digital Age.
This lecture series addresses the continuing transformation of the production and consumption of journalism in the contemporary media environment. It provides a brief history of the impact of participatory online news production and engagement practices – from the first wave of citizen journalism to the social media platforms of today – on how news content is disseminated and experienced; examines reactive and proactive responses to these changes by news organisations and journalists; and explores the longer-term impact of these developments on the public sphere, touching on the power of social media platforms and their role in shaping their users’ information diets.
Readings are largely drawn from Gatewatching and News Curation: Journalism, Social Media, and the Public Sphere (Bruns, 2018), with additional readings recommended for selected lectures.
Reading for this lecture:
Bruns, A. (2018). New(s) Publics in the Public Sphere. Gatewatching and News Curation: Journalism, Social Media, and the Public Sphere. Ch. 8. Peter Lang.
The document summarizes a study that examined discussions between Dutch MPs on Twitter to determine if they constituted a networked public sphere for political deliberation. Network and content analyses were conducted on over 7,000 tweets between 144 MPs. Results showed the network had low modularity and connectivity. Structural features of Twitter facilitated participation, but content analysis found only moderate evidence of rational debate between MPs, with limited justification and reflection in tweets. While individual outcomes could not be determined, collective deliberation may facilitate consensus and legitimate parliamentary decisions.
Destructive Political Polarisation in the Context of Digital Communication – ...KatharinaEsau1
As an increasing amount of political communication takes place in a digital context, there is a heightened focus on the intersection of studies of political polarization and digital communication research. Digital communication research provides new opportunities for studying polarization in terms of traceable interactions and scale but adds further complexity to an already challenging concept. In this paper, we review literature from political science and media and communication studies, concluding that a large body of political communication studies focus on polarisation, but do not conceptualise it in relation to media and communication. Similarly, media and communication studies lack a clear conceptual definition of polarisation, reflecting disagreements in political science, and this can lead to common problems when applying the concept of polarization in a digital context. These problems include the conflation of different forms of polarization, the unquestioned adoption of technologically determinist perspectives, and the over-diagnosis of polarization. Building upon existing literature from both fields, we argue for a better demarcation of concepts when we study political polarization as a threat to democracy. We suggest calling this phenomenon destructive political polarization. We then discuss the concept with regard to studying its dynamics in a digital communication context, describing its recognizable elements as manifested in communication.
A Year of Discursive Struggle on Twitter: What Can a Mixed-Methods Approach T...Ehsan Dehghan
This document summarizes a study analyzing discourse around freedom of speech on Twitter over the course of a year. It used mixed methods including network analysis, corpus analysis, and discourse analysis to examine intra- and inter-community dynamics between antagonistic groups. Results showed communities tended to reinforce their own ideologies more than interact productively with adversaries. However, Twitter features sometimes bridged divisions by allowing reaction and confrontation, or uniting against a common enemy. Overall, filter bubbles and echo chambers were found to some degree, but information also crossed community boundaries through Twitter interactions.
Citizens' Assembly Enhanced Direct Democracywbkrayen
Discusses how traditional direct democracy systems can be substantially improved by using a Citizens Assembly to select the best initiatives based on merit rather than requiring a huge number of signatures to be collected.
Online Disability Activism - University of Leicester, Mar 2011filippotrevisan
1. The document discusses research on how disabled people use the internet for political participation and discusses barriers they face both online and offline.
2. A case study of Scottish disability organizations' websites found little user-generated content and personal stories were not directly posted by users.
3. A campaign called "Barred!" allowed some user input and stories to inform the campaign's platform, but organizations ultimately controlled online communications.
Electioneering in Pandemic Times: The 2022 Australian Federal Election on Fac...Axel Bruns
Paper by Axel Bruns, Daniel Angus, Timothy Graham, Ehsan Dehghan, Nadia Jude, and Phoebe Matich, presented at the AoIR 2022 conference, Dublin, 3 Nov. 2022.
The document discusses several key aspects of public opinion in the United States, including:
1) Public opinion is difficult to define because there are many groups and many issues to account for.
2) Factors like family, schools, peer groups, media, and historic events influence the development of political opinions over time.
3) Polls are considered the best measure of public opinion, though they are not perfect and public opinion is not the only influence on policy.
Disinformation challenges tools and techniques to deal or live with itNikos Sarris
Keynote presentation at 1st International Workshop on
Disinformation and Toxic Content Analysis
(DiTox 2023) on the problem of onine disinformation and associated technnologies and policies that help against it. This work was co-funded by the EC in the context of the MedDMO project (contract number 101083756)
Why aren't Evaluators using Digital Media Analytics?CesToronto
This document discusses how evaluators are not taking full advantage of digital media analytics to inform program evaluations. It outlines how social media and online data can provide insights into public perceptions, behaviors, and opinions. Specifically, digital analytics can help measure outcomes, gather hard to reach stakeholder views, establish baselines, and provide context. However, there are also challenges like misinformation and privacy concerns. The document argues digital analytics could strengthen evaluations by supplementing traditional methods and calls for further exploring opportunities for its use.
Scottish Independence Forum 3 June13 (Summary)keironbailey
Scottish Independence Event held 3rd June 2013 in Perth. Structured Public Involvement protocol provided by Community Decisions. Forum delivered in collaboration with University of the Third Age; University of Dundee; and Five Million Questions.
File created K. Bailey Aug 13 for sharing/demonstration purposes.
What Is Lost When Twitter Is Lost? Reflections on the Impending Death of a Pl...Axel Bruns
The document discusses the rise and fall of Twitter as a social media platform. It describes how Twitter started as a niche platform that gained widespread popularity for connecting communities and sharing news in real-time using hashtags. However, over time Twitter struggled with inconsistent management, a slow response to misinformation and harassment, and changes that disrupted the third-party development community. After Elon Musk's acquisition, he laid off much of Twitter's staff and promoted policies that led to increased confusion, chaos and the spread of disinformation, contributing to Twitter's decline.
Contenu connexe
Similaire à Dynamics of Destructive Polarisation in Mainstream and Social Media: The Case of the Australian Voice to Parliament Referendum
The Filter in Our (?) Heads: Digital Media and PolarisationAxel Bruns
This document discusses digital media and polarization. It notes that ready access to information through digital media enables the spread of misinformation, hyperpartisanship, and polarization, but also enables social connection and community support. Understanding polarization requires assessing it over time, across different issues and groups, and comparing its levels across political and media systems. Combating polarization may involve protecting mainstream society from extremes, deradicalizing extremist groups, and improving media literacy, while preventing its abuse. Multidisciplinary research is needed using frameworks from various fields.
What do Twitter conversations tell us about petitioning?UK Parliament Data
1. Twitter conversations about petitions vary greatly in the level of engagement beyond just signing, from a few tweets to thousands, suggesting people sign petitions as a form of slacktivism or to genuinely engage in the issue.
2. Analysis of tweets about the grouse shooting petition found discussions of the positives and negatives of hunting, and criticism of the polarized parliamentary debate as favoring one side.
3. Those tweeting about petitions interact in closed communities with those they already agree with, indicating conversations reinforce existing views rather than consider different perspectives.
Beyond the Bubble: A Critical Review of the Evidence for Echo Chambers and Fi...Axel Bruns
This document provides a critical review of evidence for the existence of echo chambers and filter bubbles. It summarizes that while some case studies have found ideological clustering and selective exposure in social media, broader network mapping and large-scale studies show more complex and interconnected online information networks. It argues that concerns about echo chambers and filter bubbles tend to oversimplify online behavior and overestimate the power of algorithms, when in reality people encounter a diverse range of information online. The real problem, it concludes, is political polarization rather than communicative fragmentation.
The document discusses a study analyzing social media discussions among Scottish voters regarding Scottish independence. It found that 72% of those expressing an opinion online supported independence, compared to most polls showing less than 50% support. Males were more likely than females to cite specific government policy reasons for their vote. The economy was the most discussed policy area, but views were divided. Other highly discussed topics included democracy, nuclear weapons, and attitudes toward England. The study aims to understand how Scots form opinions to inform campaign strategies rather than predict the referendum outcome.
Traditional direct democracy systems have problems like high signature thresholds that only the rich can access, too many initiatives on ballots, and voters being confused by spin. A citizens' assembly can address these issues by selecting a small number of initiatives for referendum after review and debate. Unlike politicians, citizens' assemblies are highly trusted by voters, making them ideal for leading informative debates prior to votes. A citizens' assembly-enhanced direct democracy could improve laws and voter knowledge through its process.
Gatewatching 10: New(s) Publics in the Public SphereAxel Bruns
Lecture 10 in the course From Gatekeeping to Gatewatching: News and Journalism in the Digital Age.
This lecture series addresses the continuing transformation of the production and consumption of journalism in the contemporary media environment. It provides a brief history of the impact of participatory online news production and engagement practices – from the first wave of citizen journalism to the social media platforms of today – on how news content is disseminated and experienced; examines reactive and proactive responses to these changes by news organisations and journalists; and explores the longer-term impact of these developments on the public sphere, touching on the power of social media platforms and their role in shaping their users’ information diets.
Readings are largely drawn from Gatewatching and News Curation: Journalism, Social Media, and the Public Sphere (Bruns, 2018), with additional readings recommended for selected lectures.
Reading for this lecture:
Bruns, A. (2018). New(s) Publics in the Public Sphere. Gatewatching and News Curation: Journalism, Social Media, and the Public Sphere. Ch. 8. Peter Lang.
The document summarizes a study that examined discussions between Dutch MPs on Twitter to determine if they constituted a networked public sphere for political deliberation. Network and content analyses were conducted on over 7,000 tweets between 144 MPs. Results showed the network had low modularity and connectivity. Structural features of Twitter facilitated participation, but content analysis found only moderate evidence of rational debate between MPs, with limited justification and reflection in tweets. While individual outcomes could not be determined, collective deliberation may facilitate consensus and legitimate parliamentary decisions.
Destructive Political Polarisation in the Context of Digital Communication – ...KatharinaEsau1
As an increasing amount of political communication takes place in a digital context, there is a heightened focus on the intersection of studies of political polarization and digital communication research. Digital communication research provides new opportunities for studying polarization in terms of traceable interactions and scale but adds further complexity to an already challenging concept. In this paper, we review literature from political science and media and communication studies, concluding that a large body of political communication studies focus on polarisation, but do not conceptualise it in relation to media and communication. Similarly, media and communication studies lack a clear conceptual definition of polarisation, reflecting disagreements in political science, and this can lead to common problems when applying the concept of polarization in a digital context. These problems include the conflation of different forms of polarization, the unquestioned adoption of technologically determinist perspectives, and the over-diagnosis of polarization. Building upon existing literature from both fields, we argue for a better demarcation of concepts when we study political polarization as a threat to democracy. We suggest calling this phenomenon destructive political polarization. We then discuss the concept with regard to studying its dynamics in a digital communication context, describing its recognizable elements as manifested in communication.
A Year of Discursive Struggle on Twitter: What Can a Mixed-Methods Approach T...Ehsan Dehghan
This document summarizes a study analyzing discourse around freedom of speech on Twitter over the course of a year. It used mixed methods including network analysis, corpus analysis, and discourse analysis to examine intra- and inter-community dynamics between antagonistic groups. Results showed communities tended to reinforce their own ideologies more than interact productively with adversaries. However, Twitter features sometimes bridged divisions by allowing reaction and confrontation, or uniting against a common enemy. Overall, filter bubbles and echo chambers were found to some degree, but information also crossed community boundaries through Twitter interactions.
Citizens' Assembly Enhanced Direct Democracywbkrayen
Discusses how traditional direct democracy systems can be substantially improved by using a Citizens Assembly to select the best initiatives based on merit rather than requiring a huge number of signatures to be collected.
Online Disability Activism - University of Leicester, Mar 2011filippotrevisan
1. The document discusses research on how disabled people use the internet for political participation and discusses barriers they face both online and offline.
2. A case study of Scottish disability organizations' websites found little user-generated content and personal stories were not directly posted by users.
3. A campaign called "Barred!" allowed some user input and stories to inform the campaign's platform, but organizations ultimately controlled online communications.
Electioneering in Pandemic Times: The 2022 Australian Federal Election on Fac...Axel Bruns
Paper by Axel Bruns, Daniel Angus, Timothy Graham, Ehsan Dehghan, Nadia Jude, and Phoebe Matich, presented at the AoIR 2022 conference, Dublin, 3 Nov. 2022.
The document discusses several key aspects of public opinion in the United States, including:
1) Public opinion is difficult to define because there are many groups and many issues to account for.
2) Factors like family, schools, peer groups, media, and historic events influence the development of political opinions over time.
3) Polls are considered the best measure of public opinion, though they are not perfect and public opinion is not the only influence on policy.
Disinformation challenges tools and techniques to deal or live with itNikos Sarris
Keynote presentation at 1st International Workshop on
Disinformation and Toxic Content Analysis
(DiTox 2023) on the problem of onine disinformation and associated technnologies and policies that help against it. This work was co-funded by the EC in the context of the MedDMO project (contract number 101083756)
Why aren't Evaluators using Digital Media Analytics?CesToronto
This document discusses how evaluators are not taking full advantage of digital media analytics to inform program evaluations. It outlines how social media and online data can provide insights into public perceptions, behaviors, and opinions. Specifically, digital analytics can help measure outcomes, gather hard to reach stakeholder views, establish baselines, and provide context. However, there are also challenges like misinformation and privacy concerns. The document argues digital analytics could strengthen evaluations by supplementing traditional methods and calls for further exploring opportunities for its use.
Scottish Independence Forum 3 June13 (Summary)keironbailey
Scottish Independence Event held 3rd June 2013 in Perth. Structured Public Involvement protocol provided by Community Decisions. Forum delivered in collaboration with University of the Third Age; University of Dundee; and Five Million Questions.
File created K. Bailey Aug 13 for sharing/demonstration purposes.
Similaire à Dynamics of Destructive Polarisation in Mainstream and Social Media: The Case of the Australian Voice to Parliament Referendum (20)
What Is Lost When Twitter Is Lost? Reflections on the Impending Death of a Pl...Axel Bruns
The document discusses the rise and fall of Twitter as a social media platform. It describes how Twitter started as a niche platform that gained widespread popularity for connecting communities and sharing news in real-time using hashtags. However, over time Twitter struggled with inconsistent management, a slow response to misinformation and harassment, and changes that disrupted the third-party development community. After Elon Musk's acquisition, he laid off much of Twitter's staff and promoted policies that led to increased confusion, chaos and the spread of disinformation, contributing to Twitter's decline.
What Is Lost When Twitter Is Lost? Reflections on the Impending Death of a Pl...Axel Bruns
This document summarizes the rise and fall of the Twitter platform. It describes how Twitter started as a niche site in 2006 but grew to be an important platform for news, communities, and public discourse. However, inconsistent management and slow responses to challenges like misinformation contributed to its decline. Elon Musk's chaotic leadership after acquiring Twitter in 2022 accelerated this, through mass layoffs, attacks on content moderation, and promotion of disinformation, further undermining the role Twitter once played.
The Anatomy of Virality: How COVID-19 Conspiracy Theories Spread across Socia...Axel Bruns
Keynote by Axel Bruns, with Edward Hurcombe and Stephen Harrington, presented at the International Center for Journalists' Empowering the Truth Summit, 23 Feb. 2023.
A Platform Policy Implementation Audit of Actions against Russia’s State-Cont...Axel Bruns
Paper by Sofya Glazunova, Anna Ryzhova, Axel Bruns, Silvia Ximena Montaña-Niño, Arista Beseler, and Ehsan Dehghan, presented at the International Communication Association conference, Toronto, 29 May 2023.
Gatewatching 5: Weaponising Newssharing: ‘Fake News’ and Other MalinformationAxel Bruns
This document summarizes a research project analyzing the dissemination of problematic information on Facebook from 2016 to 2021. The researchers compiled a list of over 2,300 "fake news" domains and collected Facebook posts sharing links to those domains. They analyzed the link-sharing network between public Facebook pages/groups and domains, identifying clusters that commonly share the same domains. They also analyzed the on-sharing network between public Facebook spaces to identify communities with common interests spreading this information. The goal is to better understand the dynamics, themes, and networks involved in spreading problematic information at scale on social media over time.
Gatewatching 4: Random Acts of Gatewatching: Everyday Newssharing PracticesAxel Bruns
Lecture 4 in the course From Gatekeeping to Gatewatching: News and Journalism in the Digital Age.
This lecture series addresses the continuing transformation of the production and consumption of journalism in the contemporary media environment. It provides a brief history of the impact of participatory online news production and engagement practices – from the first wave of citizen journalism to the social media platforms of today – on how news content is disseminated and experienced; examines reactive and proactive responses to these changes by news organisations and journalists; and explores the longer-term impact of these developments on the public sphere, touching on the power of social media platforms and their role in shaping their users’ information diets.
Readings are largely drawn from Gatewatching and News Curation: Journalism, Social Media, and the Public Sphere (Bruns, 2018), with additional readings recommended for selected lectures.
Reading for this lecture:
Bruns, A. (2018). Random Acts of Gatewatching: Everyday Newssharing Practices. Gatewatching and News Curation: Journalism, Social Media, and the Public Sphere. Ch. 4. Peter Lang.
Gatewatching 1: Introduction: What’s So Different about Journalism Today?Axel Bruns
This document provides an introduction to a course on journalism in the digital age. It discusses how journalism has changed with new technologies and platforms, with both challenges and opportunities. The course will examine topics like citizen and social media, news curation, the spread of misinformation, and how journalists and news organizations are adapting. It will involve lectures, readings, and an final exam to assess students' understanding of the material presented throughout the semester.
Lecture 8 in the course From Gatekeeping to Gatewatching: News and Journalism in the Digital Age.
This lecture series addresses the continuing transformation of the production and consumption of journalism in the contemporary media environment. It provides a brief history of the impact of participatory online news production and engagement practices – from the first wave of citizen journalism to the social media platforms of today – on how news content is disseminated and experienced; examines reactive and proactive responses to these changes by news organisations and journalists; and explores the longer-term impact of these developments on the public sphere, touching on the power of social media platforms and their role in shaping their users’ information diets.
Readings are largely drawn from Gatewatching and News Curation: Journalism, Social Media, and the Public Sphere (Bruns, 2018), with additional readings recommended for selected lectures.
Reading for this lecture:
Bruns, A. (2018). Hybrid News Coverage: Liveblogs. Gatewatching and News Curation: Journalism, Social Media, and the Public Sphere. Ch. 7. Peter Lang.
Gatewatching 2: From Gatekeeping to Gatewatching: The First Wave of Citizen M...Axel Bruns
Lecture 2 in the course From Gatekeeping to Gatewatching: News and Journalism in the Digital Age.
This lecture series addresses the continuing transformation of the production and consumption of journalism in the contemporary media environment. It provides a brief history of the impact of participatory online news production and engagement practices – from the first wave of citizen journalism to the social media platforms of today – on how news content is disseminated and experienced; examines reactive and proactive responses to these changes by news organisations and journalists; and explores the longer-term impact of these developments on the public sphere, touching on the power of social media platforms and their role in shaping their users’ information diets.
Readings are largely drawn from Gatewatching and News Curation: Journalism, Social Media, and the Public Sphere (Bruns, 2018), with additional readings recommended for selected lectures.
Reading for this lecture:
Bruns, A. (2018). From Gatekeeping to Gatewatching: The First Wave of Citizen Media. Gatewatching and News Curation: Journalism, Social Media, and the Public Sphere. Ch. 2. Peter Lang.
Gatewatching 9: ‘Real’ News and ‘Fake’ News: Fact-Checking and Media LiteracyAxel Bruns
Lecture 9 in the course From Gatekeeping to Gatewatching: News and Journalism in the Digital Age.
This lecture series addresses the continuing transformation of the production and consumption of journalism in the contemporary media environment. It provides a brief history of the impact of participatory online news production and engagement practices – from the first wave of citizen journalism to the social media platforms of today – on how news content is disseminated and experienced; examines reactive and proactive responses to these changes by news organisations and journalists; and explores the longer-term impact of these developments on the public sphere, touching on the power of social media platforms and their role in shaping their users’ information diets.
Readings are largely drawn from Gatewatching and News Curation: Journalism, Social Media, and the Public Sphere (Bruns, 2018), with additional readings recommended for selected lectures.
Reading for this lecture:
Graves, L., & Cherubini, F. (2016). The Rise of Fact-Checking Sites in Europe. Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism. https://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:d55ef650-e351-4526-b942-6c9e00129ad7
Gatewatching 13: Conclusion: A Social News Media NetworkAxel Bruns
Lecture 13 in the course From Gatekeeping to Gatewatching: News and Journalism in the Digital Age.
This lecture series addresses the continuing transformation of the production and consumption of journalism in the contemporary media environment. It provides a brief history of the impact of participatory online news production and engagement practices – from the first wave of citizen journalism to the social media platforms of today – on how news content is disseminated and experienced; examines reactive and proactive responses to these changes by news organisations and journalists; and explores the longer-term impact of these developments on the public sphere, touching on the power of social media platforms and their role in shaping their users’ information diets.
Readings are largely drawn from Gatewatching and News Curation: Journalism, Social Media, and the Public Sphere (Bruns, 2018), with additional readings recommended for selected lectures.
Reading for this lecture:
Bruns, A. (2018). Conclusion: A Social News Media Network. Gatewatching and News Curation: Journalism, Social Media, and the Public Sphere. Ch. 9. Peter Lang.
Gatewatching 3: #BREAKING: Social News Curation during Acute EventsAxel Bruns
Lecture 3 in the course From Gatekeeping to Gatewatching: News and Journalism in the Digital Age.
This lecture series addresses the continuing transformation of the production and consumption of journalism in the contemporary media environment. It provides a brief history of the impact of participatory online news production and engagement practices – from the first wave of citizen journalism to the social media platforms of today – on how news content is disseminated and experienced; examines reactive and proactive responses to these changes by news organisations and journalists; and explores the longer-term impact of these developments on the public sphere, touching on the power of social media platforms and their role in shaping their users’ information diets.
Readings are largely drawn from Gatewatching and News Curation: Journalism, Social Media, and the Public Sphere (Bruns, 2018), with additional readings recommended for selected lectures.
Reading for this lecture:
Bruns, A. (2018). #BREAKING: Social News Curation during Acute Events. Gatewatching and News Curation: Journalism, Social Media, and the Public Sphere. Ch. 3. Peter Lang.
Gatewatching 7: Management and Metrics: The News Industry and Social MediaAxel Bruns
This document discusses how news organizations are managing their use of social media and metrics. It covers how news outlets are establishing social media guidelines for journalists, managing personal branding on platforms, and using various social media metrics to optimize content. It also addresses challenges like uncertainty around which metrics to prioritize, the influence of platforms and algorithms, and balancing popular and revenue-generating content with journalistic priorities. News organizations are experimenting with new formats and practices to engage audiences on social platforms.
Gatewatching 6: Meet the Audience: How Journalists Adapt to Social MediaAxel Bruns
Lecture 6 in the course From Gatekeeping to Gatewatching: News and Journalism in the Digital Age.
This lecture series addresses the continuing transformation of the production and consumption of journalism in the contemporary media environment. It provides a brief history of the impact of participatory online news production and engagement practices – from the first wave of citizen journalism to the social media platforms of today – on how news content is disseminated and experienced; examines reactive and proactive responses to these changes by news organisations and journalists; and explores the longer-term impact of these developments on the public sphere, touching on the power of social media platforms and their role in shaping their users’ information diets.
Readings are largely drawn from Gatewatching and News Curation: Journalism, Social Media, and the Public Sphere (Bruns, 2018), with additional readings recommended for selected lectures.
Reading for this lecture:
Bruns, A. (2018). Meet the Audience: How Journalists Adapt to Social Media. Gatewatching and News Curation: Journalism, Social Media, and the Public Sphere. Ch. 5. Peter Lang.
Gatewatching 12: Platform Power: How Social Media Platforms Reshape the News ...Axel Bruns
Lecture 12 in the course From Gatekeeping to Gatewatching: News and Journalism in the Digital Age.
This lecture series addresses the continuing transformation of the production and consumption of journalism in the contemporary media environment. It provides a brief history of the impact of participatory online news production and engagement practices – from the first wave of citizen journalism to the social media platforms of today – on how news content is disseminated and experienced; examines reactive and proactive responses to these changes by news organisations and journalists; and explores the longer-term impact of these developments on the public sphere, touching on the power of social media platforms and their role in shaping their users’ information diets.
Readings are largely drawn from Gatewatching and News Curation: Journalism, Social Media, and the Public Sphere (Bruns, 2018), with additional readings recommended for selected lectures.
Reading for this lecture:
Meese, J., & Hurcombe, E. (2021). Facebook, News Media and Platform Dependency: The Institutional Impacts of News Distribution on Social Platforms. New Media & Society, 23(8), 2367–2384. https://doi.org/10.1177/1461444820926472
From the Fringes to the Mainstream: How COVID-19 Conspiracy Theories Spread a...Axel Bruns
This document summarizes research into how COVID-19 conspiracy theories spread from fringe to mainstream media. It finds that early theories had limited reach but celebrities amplified them by spreading to their large social media followings. Tabloid and entertainment media then reported on celebrity posts without critical fact-checking, helping conspiracy claims spread more widely. The researchers recommend media improve training and standards to avoid irresponsibly disseminating misinformation.
Here is Gabe Whitley's response to my defamation lawsuit for him calling me a rapist and perjurer in court documents.
You have to read it to believe it, but after you read it, you won't believe it. And I included eight examples of defamatory statements/
Your Go-To Press Release Newswire for Maximum Visibility and Impact.pdfPressReleasePower4
This downloadable guide explains why press releases are still important for businesses today and the challenges you might face with traditional distribution methods. Learn how [Your Website Name] offers a comprehensive solution for crafting compelling press releases, targeting the right media outlets, and maximizing visibility.
El Puerto de Algeciras continúa un año más como el más eficiente del continente europeo y vuelve a situarse en el “top ten” mundial, según el informe The Container Port Performance Index 2023 (CPPI), elaborado por el Banco Mundial y la consultora S&P Global.
El informe CPPI utiliza dos enfoques metodológicos diferentes para calcular la clasificación del índice: uno administrativo o técnico y otro estadístico, basado en análisis factorial (FA). Según los autores, esta dualidad pretende asegurar una clasificación que refleje con precisión el rendimiento real del puerto, a la vez que sea estadísticamente sólida. En esta edición del informe CPPI 2023, se han empleado los mismos enfoques metodológicos y se ha aplicado un método de agregación de clasificaciones para combinar los resultados de ambos enfoques y obtener una clasificación agregada.
Essential Tools for Modern PR Business .pptxPragencyuk
Discover the essential tools and strategies for modern PR business success. Learn how to craft compelling news releases, leverage press release sites and news wires, stay updated with PR news, and integrate effective PR practices to enhance your brand's visibility and credibility. Elevate your PR efforts with our comprehensive guide.
Acolyte Episodes review (TV series) The Acolyte. Learn about the influence of the program on the Star Wars world, as well as new characters and story twists.
The Biggest Threat to Western Civilization _ Andy Blumenthal _ The Blogs.pdfAndy (Avraham) Blumenthal
Article in The Times of Israel by Andy Blumenthal: China and Russia are commonly considered the biggest military threats to Western civilization, but I believe that is incorrect. The biggest strategic threat is a terrorist Jihadi Caliphate.
Youngest c m in India- Pema Khandu BiographyVoterMood
Pema Khandu, born on August 21, 1979, is an Indian politician and the Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh. He is the son of former Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh, Dorjee Khandu. Pema Khandu assumed office as the Chief Minister in July 2016, making him one of the youngest Chief Ministers in India at that time.
Dynamics of Destructive Polarisation in Mainstream and Social Media: The Case of the Australian Voice to Parliament Referendum
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Dynamics of Destructive Polarisation in
Mainstream and Social Media: The Case of the
Australian Voice to Parliament Referendum
Axel Bruns with important contributions from:
Australian Laureate Fellow Laura Vodden Katharina Esau Sebastian Svegaard
Digital Media Research Centre Tariq Choucair Samantha Vilkins Kate O’Connor Farfan
Queensland University of Technology Laura Lefevre Vishnu PS Carly Lubicz-Zaorski
Brisbane, Australia Ehsan Dehghan Kateryna Kasianenko
a.bruns@qut.edu.au
@snurb_dot_info | @snurb@aoir.social | @snurb.bsky.social
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► Implies that something is threatening
that cohesion…
Gesellschaftlicher Zusammenhalt?
Societal Cohesion?
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Can we simply blame our
platforms and their
algorithms?
Filter bubbles?
Echo chambers?
(https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Eli_Pariser,_author_of_The_Filter_Bubble_-_Flickr_-_Knight_Foundation.jpg)
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Ready access to information
enables spread of ‘fake
news’, hyperpartisanship,
and polarisation.
(But also social connection
and community support.)
Hyperpartisans,
Hyperconnected
(https://twitter.com/bigfudge212121/status/1259317174776115201)
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The problem with an extraterrestrial-
conspiracy mailing list isn’t that it’s an echo
chamber; it’s that it thinks there’s a
conspiracy by extraterrestrials.
— David Weinberger, Salon, 21 Feb. 2004
(https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:David_Weinberger.jpg)
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Our Project
• Australian Laureate Fellowship (2022-27)
• Determining the Drivers and Dynamics of Partisanship and Polarisation in Online Public
Debate
• Digital Media Research Centre, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia
• 4 postdocs, 4 + 4* PhD students, 1 data scientist
• Cross-national comparisons (intended: AU, US, UK, DE, DK, CH, probably + BR, PE, CA)
• Longitudinal analysis over the course of the project
* Starting in 2024 – interested? Get in touch! (a.bruns@qut.edu.au)
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Forms of Polarisation
• Polarisation at what levels?
• Micro: between individuals
• Meso: between groups
• Macro: across society
• Mass: involving everyone
• Elite: amongst formal political actors (however defined)
• See: Esau et al. (2023) — https://eprints.qut.edu.au/238775/
• (and chapter forthcoming in the Routledge Handbook of Political Campaigning)
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Forms of Polarisation
• Polarisation on what attributes?
• Issue-based: disagreements over specific policy settings
• Ideological: fundamental differences based on political belief systems
• Affective: political beliefs turned into deeply felt in-group / out-group identity
• Perceived: view of society, as based on personal views and media reporting
• Interpretive: reading of issues, events, and media coverage based on personal views
• Interactional: manifested in choices to interact with or ignore other individuals/groups
• (and more…)
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Agonism? Polarisation? Dysfunction?
• How bad is it, exactly?
• All politics is polarised (just not to the point of dysfunction)
• Much (most?) politics is multipolar, not just left/right
• When does mild antagonism turn into destructive polarisation?
• We suggest five symptoms (Esau et al., 2023):
a) breakdown of communication;
b) discrediting and dismissing of information;
c) erasure of complexities;
d) exacerbated attention and space for extreme voices;
e) exclusion through emotions.
Image: Midjourney
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(And also, are these the right / the only
symptoms of destructive polarisation?)
But:
How do we operationalise these
symptoms in empirical research?
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• Indigenous rights and recognition:
• Complex topic since European arrival in 1788
• Indigenous Australians remain severely
disadvantaged
• Persistent lack of formal consultation
• Voice to Parliament:
• Endorsed in 2017 Uluru Statement from the Heart
• Commitment to referendum on a Voice in Anthony
Albanese’s 21 May 2022 election victory speech
• Referendum design revealed in March 2023
• Constitutional referendum held on 14 Oct. 2023
Proposed Constitutional Amendment:
Chapter IX Recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
Peoples
129 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice
In recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the
First Peoples of Australia:
1. There shall be a body, to be called the Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander Voice;
2. The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice may make
representations to the Parliament and the Executive Government of
the Commonwealth on matters relating to Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander peoples;
3. The Parliament shall, subject to this Constitution, have power to
make laws with respect to matters relating to the Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander Voice, including its composition, functions,
powers and procedures.
Case Study: Voice to Parliament Referendum
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Referendum Vote
• Voting modus:
• Compulsory for all registered voters
• Actual turnout: 89.95%
• Requirements for success:
• Majority of voters overall
• Majority of voters in majority of states
(4 of 6)
• Results:
• Overall: 40% Yes, 60% No
• 0 of 6 states
• Yes win only in Australian Capital
Territory
By Teratix - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=131601888
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Example: No Campaign’s Use of Fear and Doubt
“The campaign to sink the Voice has instructed volunteers
to use fear and doubt rather than facts to trump arguments
used by the Yes camp.” (Sydney Morning Herald)
Symptoms of Dysfunction:
Exclusion through
Emotions
(https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/no-campaign-s-fear-doubt-strategy-revealed-20230910-p5e3fu.html)
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Example: YouTube Videos Shared on Facebook
Explicitly conspiracist (and antisemitic) videos amongst the
YouTube video content shared most frequently in public
Facebook groups and pages.
Symptoms of Dysfunction:
Disproportionate Attention
to Extreme Voices
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Example: Sky News Australia Reporting
Many of the most widely shared videos from influential
conservative news source Sky News Australia made
explicitly conspiracist claims.
Symptoms of Dysfunction:
Discrediting and Dismissal
of Information
(https://www.skynews.com.au/opinion/peta-credlin/transfer-of-power-voice-has-very-little-to-do-with-supporting-indigenous-australians/video/597252c79e59d25cf3bfe0c423768dc1,
https://www.skynews.com.au/australia-news/sky-news-host-peta-credlin-exposes-labors-lie-on-the-uluru-statement-from-the-heart-under-freedom-of-information-act/news-story/f1539032a44c6658c2feb352b2ddea45,
https://www.skynews.com.au/opinion/andrew-bolt/youve-been-misled-real-agenda-of-the-voice-exposed-in-a-brawl/video/d2255bf53cb4c0223e990cabd1461f14)
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Example: Liberal Party ‘No’ Campaign on Instagram
Simple language, appeals to ignorance.
Symptoms of Dysfunction:
Erasure of Complexities
(https://www.instagram.com/p/CyMy7hFI1Kw/)
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Example: @mention network on Twitter*
Some separation into Yes/No camps, with continued
exchanges between the two sides – but often lack of
meaningful engagement between them.
Symptoms of Dysfunction:
Breakdown of
Communication
* Data obtained through NodeXL Twitter scraper, with limited completeness.
Red: exclusively using #VoteNo; green: exclusively using #VoteYes.
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Can new methods add more rigour
to the analysis?
⚠️ Work in Progress…
Towards a More Systematic Validation
and Diagnosis of These Symptoms?
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Current thinking:
Quantifying specific aspects of individual participant
activities, then identifying and interpreting similar patterns
at a group level.
* With particular thanks to Kateryna Kasianenko.
Beyond Qualitative
Interpretation:
Practice Mapping*
Image: Midjourney
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Twitter @mention network during Voice to Parliament campaign
Red: exclusively using #VoteNo; green: exclusively using #VoteYes.
Twitter interaction pattern similarity network – based on cosine similarity between
normalised interaction vectors per account, colours based on modularity detection.
Pro-Voice
campaigners
Labor
supporters
Anti-Voice
campaigners
Liberal / National
supporters
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• Account-to-account interactions
(relative to interactive affordances available
on any given social media platform)
• Account’s post content (topics, sentiment,
hashtags, named entities, etc.)
• Account’s use of sources (URLs, domains,
embedded videos and images, etc.)
• Account’s profile information (name,
description, etc.)
• Manually and computationally coded
information about the account and its posts
• …
Potential Patterns
to Operationalise
in Practice Mapping
Image: Midjourney
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Assessing Destructive Polarisation
• Key questions:
• Does practice mapping show distinct practices?
• What divergent patterns drive such distinctions?
• Do these patterns map onto one of the symptoms
of destructive polarisation?
• (Or: do they represent a new pattern that might be
seen as destructive – a new symptom?)
• How severe are these differences (i.e. how deeply
and destructively polarised is the situation)?
• How are these patterns evolving over time?
Image: Midjourney
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This research is supported by the Australian Research Council through the
Australian Laureate Fellowship project Determining the Dynamics of
Partisanship and Polarisation in Online Public Debate.
Acknowledgments