Online publishing, social networks, and web search have dramatically lowered the costs to produce, distribute, and discover news articles. Some scholars argue that such technological changes increase exposure to diverse perspectives, while others worry they increase ideological segregation. We address the issue by examining web browsing histories for 50,000 U.S.-located users who regularly read online news. We find that social networks and search engines are associated with an increase in the mean ideological distance between individuals. However, somewhat counterintuitively, we also find these same channels are associated with an increase in an individual's exposure to material from his or her less preferred side of the political spectrum. Finally, we show that the vast majority of online news consumption is accounted for by individuals simply visiting the home pages of their favorite, typically mainstream, news outlets, tempering the consequences-both positive and negative-of recent technological changes. We thus uncover evidence for both sides of the debate, while also finding that the magnitude of the e↵ects are relatively modest. WORD COUNT: 6,238 words
In the social sciences literature, REF found that online services are associated with increased political polarization between users as well as increased exposure to the less preferred side of political opinions.
Filter Bubbles, Echo Chambers, and Online News Consumption
Public Opinion Quarterly
Sociology