Emerson T. Bro, expert in the impact of social media on warfare, joins the hosts to discuss how online discussion shapes reality in conflict zones. They explore the prevalence of disinformation in the Israel-Hamas conflict, the role of social media in warfare, the rise of Telegram, the TikTok scandal, and the influence of social media on conflict discussion and misinformation.
Generational divide on social media platforms affects how conflicts are consumed and responded to, with younger users approaching content with skepticism and older users being more susceptible to misinformation and biased narratives.
Elon Musk's influence on social media platforms, particularly Twitter, has led to an incentive structure that prioritizes sensationalism and virality over accuracy and source verification, limiting users' access to verified information and constraining freedom of expression.
Deep dives
Social Media and Conflict Introduction
Social media platforms have become a significant source of news and information for younger generations, while the older generations tend to rely on traditional media. Generational divide is evident in the way people consume and respond to content related to conflicts, such as the Israel-Hamas war. Younger users approach social media with more skepticism and a higher level of scrutiny, while older users may be more susceptible to misinformation and biased narratives. This divide is further exacerbated by the nature of social media platforms, their design structures, and their insulation, which often perpetuate echo chambers and limit the exposure to diverse perspectives.
The Impact of Elon Musk on Social Media
Elon Musk's influence on social media platforms, particularly Twitter, has drastically changed the way conflicts are discussed and reported. Musk's approach to content moderation and his focus on engagement and monetization have led to an incentive structure that prioritizes sensationalism and virality over accuracy and source verification. The result is a proliferation of unsourced and often misleading information, with posts being rewarded based on impressions rather than credibility. Musk's pliability as the head of a major social media company, coupled with the removal of verification programs and the throttling of external links, has further constrained the freedom of expression on these platforms and limited users' access to verified information.
The Role of Social Media Personalities in News Consumption
Younger generations increasingly rely on social media personalities and content creators for news and information, instead of traditional media sources. These personalities, often found on platforms like TikTok and Instagram, present information in visually appealing formats, but they may lack proper sourcing and verification. Graphs and statistics are shared without proper context, and sensationalist content can quickly go viral. Without a critical eye and the ability to fact-check or follow external sources, individuals may fall prey to misinformation or one-sided narratives. The design structures of these platforms also contribute to the nicheification of information, restricting users within specific echo chambers and limiting exposure to diverse perspectives.
Navigating Generational Differences in Social Media News Consumption
The generational divide becomes evident when discussing conflicts on social media platforms. Younger users often approach content with skepticism, scrutinizing information and seeking multiple perspectives. However, older users who joined these platforms later may be more susceptible to misinformation and biased narratives. Their pre-existing political positions and biases brought into digital spaces can lead to echo chambers and heated debates. With the prevalence of misinformation and the difficulty in finding ground truth, it becomes crucial to educate older users about the deceptive nature of social media and encourage critical thinking when consuming news online.
Your posts matter more than you think. Social media has changed the way wars are fought and the internet has become a new battlefield.
Twitter may be dying, but it still matters an awful lot to policy makers. TikTok is ascendent, but often because its content can be repurposed on other platforms. Telegram can give you the news on the ground, but only if you trust the sources.
With all this information flowing and everyone motivated by personal politics, who can you trust?
This week, Emerson T. Brooking joins Matthew and Emily to explain how online discussion shapes the reality on the ground in conflict zones. Brooking is a resident senior fellow at the Digital Forensic Research Lab of the Atlantic Council and the co-author of LikeWar, a book about the weaponization of social media.
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