"Algorithmic news recommender systems (NRS) are present in many digital platforms. A decade after Eli Pariser introduced the infamous ‘filter bubble’ hypothesis, empirical evidence challenges the assumption that recommendation algorithms predominantly create homogeneous opinion environments. Stu
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dies indicate that algorithmic platform use may amplify users’ political polarization. Whether the link between platform use and polarization can be causally explained by ideological news filtering, however, is still an unanswered question as rigid causal designs to test the notion of ‘filter bubble’ effects are still largely lacking. To fill this gap, we conducted two experimental studies in Germany (n = 1,786) and the U.S. (n = 1,306) with running NRS selecting news items based on the political orientation and political interest of its users. For both national contexts, results indicate that an NRS with a bias towards users’ political preferences increases ideological polarization among politically moderate individuals, supporting the notion of ‘filter bubble’ effects for this group. No such pattern could be found for affective polarization. Yet, in the German data, affective polarization among moderate users was reduced by a politically balanced NRS (as compared to a randomized news diet), while the same NRS increased affective polarization of politically extreme participants. We discuss the democratic implications of these findings against the backdrop of increasing digital news consumption." (Abstract)
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"Katharina Neumann beschäftigt sich aus einer kommunikationswissenschaftlichen Perspektive mit dem Phänomen der Radikalisierung. Sie untersucht mithilfe einer qualitativen Befragung von radikalisierten Islamisten und Szeneaussteigern, inwiefern j
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ournalistische Medienberichterstattung und Propaganda islamistische Radikalisierungsprozesse beeinflussen können. Es zeigt sich, dass sowohl journalistische als auch propagandistische Inhalte im gesamten Radikalisierungsprozess eine zentrale Rolle spielen und zum Teil unheilvolle Wechselwirkungen entfalten. Auf Basis der Befunde leitet die Autorin schließlich Handlungsempfehlungen für die journalistische Praxis ab." (Verlagsbeschreibung)
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"This book examines the shifting role of media trust in a digital world, and critically analyzes how news and stories are created, distributed and consumed. Emphasis is placed on the current challenges and possible solutions to regain trust and restore credibility. The book reveals the role of trust
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in communication, in society and in media, and subsequently addresses media at the crossroads, as evinced by phenomena like gatekeepers, echo chambers and fake news. The following chapters explore truth and trust in journalism, the role of algorithms and robots in media, and the relation between social media and individual trust. The book then presents case studies highlighting how media creates trust in the contexts of brands and businesses, politics and non-governmental organizations, science and education." (Publisher description)
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