Tuesday, January 15, 2019

The Specter of Echo Chambers—Public Diplomacy in the Age of Disinformation


The Digitalization of Public Diplomacy pp 135-176| Cite as; from Springer Link; see also

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The Married-Or-Lonely Echo Chamber




  1. 1.
Ilan Manor
Chapter
First Online: 15 January 2019
Part of the Palgrave Macmillan Series in Global Public Diplomacy [JB emphasis] book series (GPD) 
Abstract
Recent years have seen growing concerns over the use of propaganda and disinformation by nations such as Russia. Fueled by the phenomenon of echo chambers and filter bubbles, diplomats are increasingly wary of using digital technologies in public diplomacy activities. This chapter reviews the latest studies pertaining to algorithmic filtering on social media sites. Building on this, it then explores how some nations attempt to weaponize filter bubbles so as to spread propaganda and disinformation. Given that the flow of disinformation is not limited to social media, this chapter identifies the tools through which disinformation and propaganda are spread across multiple digital platforms. The chapter concludes with two case studies that demonstrate how British and Israeli diplomats are attempting to fracture echo chambers and burst filter bubbles of disinformation.

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