Bias and social media: What’s the impact on your screen time?

Based on the types of bias that find their way into algorithms, and as I mentioned this is human bias, it is often claimed by critics, pundits and researchers that these algorithms are responsible for boosting one point of view while censoring another, Amplifying and influencing what we are already prone to believe, what we care about and how we vote, or even whether we vote at all.

I think many of us will admit that, in our current environment of social distancing, we are spending even more time online, in particular on social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and more. These sites, and the content we see, whether a shared article, comment, ad, or post from a friend or relative, are often controlled by an algorithm which, though based on our preferences and past behavior, can also be subject to bias. This takes on a more significant importance when you consider the impact this content, and how we interact with it, can have on our thoughts, viewpoints, and even our emotions.

Joining me for this episode to discuss the impact of bias in social media algorithms is Heidi Eisips, professor with San Jose State University.

Want to learn more? Check out the additional resources and links listed below for more information about what was discussed in this episode.

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