Reddit and information bias

[haxartus]

So I've been observing Reddit for a while and I've noticed something.
Reddit is a place where people like to separate and organize their own communities with people who think the same way and like the same things. One post could get a hugely positive feedback in one subreddit and a hugely negative feedback in another. The feedback system allows to hide opinions that are against the "popular opinion" of the subreddit so less people are exposed to them. To surround yourself with people like you is a rather natural behavior but it is not very good and here is why:
If you start isolating yourself from information you don't like and you only surround yourself with information you like, well... you begin living in an information bubble and everything you do confirms your own beliefs, regardless of what they are. To remove informational bias you need to be exposed to both sides of the coin on all issues, and this doesn't happen.
I've noticed this issue affecting more and more places on the Internet and I think it's worthy of a discussion.

[Deleted]

Ok.

But this isn't reddit?...

[haxartus]

Ok.

But this isn't reddit?...

If I post an anti-reddit comment on reddit it will get down-voted and nobody would see it. That's a part of the problem.

[Deleted]

Most communities, both online and offline will hold very similar views. Humans naturally surround themselves with people who are similar.

Echo chambers are the inevitable result.

[StayTuned]

Reddit as a majority and when you look at the front page it's filled with beta leftists ideology (just like these forums). So by going on their or on these forums you're just being told that (for example) gay propaganda is very wonderful and we should all accept it!! So of course we don't get exposed to both sides of the argument on reddit/mmo-champion etc. Read news stories on these forums and you will notice that it's just a big circle jerk for leftists. For example on the Ukraine crisis, about transgender issues or whatever. But then again what do you expect when the majority of these people watch my little pony

Meh, most leftist issues are usually just the application of common sense and self evident truths. Like, don't discriminate, among others.

This being said, I agree that Facebook, Reddit, Youtube and specific boards tend to be filled with a majority of one specific category of people, and as such it turns out to be rather difficult to be subjected to new ideas and concepts.

Just recently I've criticized Youtube for becoming an information feedback-loop website, that doesn't introduce new content to you, but rather builds a specific feed of videos targeted at you based on what you watched previously and whom you have subscribed to. For example, I will never be proposed to watch a video about surfing or kiting, because my video history doesn't feature any videos about kiting or surfing. I first have to decide that I'd like to watch a video about surfing to actually be subjected to multiple video suggestions about that topic.

Personally, I find that ridiculous.

[Fencers]

Creating insular discussion groups is one of the main goals and usages of Reddit.

Whether this is good or bad is irrelevant to the website and users. The point is to create a sub for just Tr00Kvlt metal heads, a sub for cat photos, a sub for anti religion discussion, a sub for... you get the idea.

They want information bias. That's the point. Not creating a balanced discussion.

[Dezerte]

Relevant video

[Deleted]

This isn't exactly a new thing that sprung up with the internet, it is just now that you can actually come into to other circles as somewhat of a voyeur.

Odds are before the internet you could far easilier isolate yourself from opposing opinions.

[apepi]

MMo-champion doesn't have it? Like when people piss on WoW?

[Rumfoord]

Reddit as a majority and when you look at the front page it's filled with beta leftists ideology (just like these forums). So by going on their or on these forums you're just being told that (for example) gay propaganda is very wonderful and we should all accept it!! So of course we don't get exposed to both sides of the argument on reddit/mmo-champion etc. Read news stories on these forums and you will notice that it's just a big circle jerk for leftists. For example on the Ukraine crisis, about transgender issues or whatever. But then again what do you expect when the majority of these people watch my little pony

For example last time I read this story on reddit about a guy having surgeries to look like Justin Bieber and died or whatever (can't remember exactly). Everyone was calling him an idiot saying he wasn't mentally stable in the first place etc. But if you read a story about a guy having a surgery to look like a female, they praise him say oo its totally fine he wants to be a female. No consistency in their arguments

lol....... I need to save this post. Thanks for the laugh

[The One Percent]

All internet forums are basically the same shit.

A big fucking circlejerk for a bunch of keyboard warriors of whatever specific agenda.

There is no point to debate in the internet.

[haxartus]

Creating insular discussion groups is one of the main goals and usages of Reddit.

Whether this is good or bad is irrelevant to the website and users. The point is to create a sub for just Tr00Kvlt metal heads, a sub for cat photos, a sub for anti religion discussion, a sub for... you get the idea.

They want information bias. That's the point. Not creating a balanced discussion.

Problem is that a lot of people doesn't realize that their views might be influenced by the information bias, so everyone thinks that they are correct 100% of the time on all issues, mostly because for the past several years every bit of information they have received has confirmed their viewpoint.
For example, posting a news story about Richard Dawkins (a famous atheist) will get a vastly different response in the atheist subreddit and in the religious subreddit.

[Aeluron Lightsong]

All internet forums are basically the same shit.

A big fucking circlejerk for a bunch of keyboard warriors of whatever specific agenda.

There is no point to debate in the internet.

Apathy is death.

[Deleted]

Reddit as a majority and when you look at the front page it's filled with beta leftists ideology (just like these forums). So by going on their or on these forums you're just being told that (for example) gay propaganda is very wonderful and we should all accept it!! So of course we don't get exposed to both sides of the argument on reddit/mmo-champion etc. Read news stories on these forums and you will notice that it's just a big circle jerk for leftists. For example on the Ukraine crisis, about transgender issues or whatever. But then again what do you expect when the majority of these people watch my little pony.

Because right wing ideology sites are know for what? Their very respectful tone towards any opposite opinions, their self criticism and constant vigilance of their own policies, their constant balancing of positive and negative things of their ideologies?

[kritisk]

Reddit as a majority and when you look at the front page it's filled with beta leftists ideology (just like these forums). So by going on their or on these forums you're just being told that (for example) gay propaganda is very wonderful and we should all accept it!! So of course we don't get exposed to both sides of the argument on reddit/mmo-champion etc. Read news stories on these forums and you will notice that it's just a big circle jerk for leftists. For example on the Ukraine crisis, about transgender issues or whatever. But then again what do you expect when the majority of these people watch my little pony

For example last time I read this story on reddit about a guy having surgeries to look like Justin Bieber and died or whatever (can't remember exactly). Everyone was calling him an idiot saying he wasn't mentally stable in the first place etc. But if you read a story about a guy having a surgery to look like a female, they praise him say oo its totally fine he wants to be a female. No consistency in their arguments

This is high drama right here. Thanks for the laughs.

[haxartus]

Please don't fill the thread with left vs right discussions, this is not it's purpose.
The purpose of the thread is information bias and this applies to all types of information and all viewpoints.

[Deleted]

The purpose of the thread is information bias and this applies to all types of information and all viewpoints.

Are you sure you aren't confusing information bias with selective information/topics, because there is a rather large difference between the two, and one is far harder to uphold balance off than the other.

[Fencers]

Problem is that a lot of people doesn't realize that their views might be influenced by the information bias, so everyone thinks that they are correct 100% of the time on all issues, mostly because for the past several years every bit of information they have received has confirmed their viewpoint

Reddit does not seek to reduce personal ignorance. It is not an educational tool by intent.

So this isn't an actual problem aside from a personal one. That is to say, if one did not wish to consider robust information that is a personal choice they would have come to with or without Reddit. And they have done so for, centuries, basically.

[Doctor]

Problem is that a lot of people doesn't realize that their views might be influenced by the information bias, so everyone thinks that they are correct 100% of the time on all issues, mostly because for the past several years every bit of information they have received has confirmed their viewpoint.

That's called dog's obstinacy, and it doesn't necessarily require an echo chamber to be manifested.

[haxartus]

Reddit does not seek to reduce personal ignorance. It is not an educational tool by intent.

It isn't but more and more people get their news from reddit, and not only that but real life news sources are becoming more and more biased.