Terms:
The Facebook
Dilemma
SOCIAL MEDIA |
algorithm—an equation that determines what kind
of information is retrieved from a large mass of
data
fake news—information created intentionally to
mislead its audience in order to influence them;
also, misinformation
free speech—the Constitutional right to speak
without
censorship
or
restraint
by
the
government; in the context of these videos, per
the First Amendment, the right of free speech
comes with a responsibility not to incite, and only
the government is denied the right to restrict free
speech, not private corporations
SOCIAL MEDIA
News Feed—a feature of the social network
Facebook that changes often to show the latest
updates, stories, photos, or videos that have been
deemed relevant to the user; News Feed is the
primary system through which users are exposed
to content posted on Facebook
partisanship—a tendency to support a particular
group, cause, or viewpoint over another, often
without fair consideration of the facts and
circumstances
polarization—breaking up into opposing factions
or groups
SOCIAL MEDIA |
Questions Part 1
A)How do you get your
news? Through
television? Radio?
Print? Online news
sites? Social media?
B) What is the difference
between receiving news
from newspapers or
television networks and
engaging with news on
social media?
C)What are the pluses
and minuses of social
media as a news source?
Questions Part II
D) Why do you think
people went to
Facebook for their
news rather than
traditional news media
outlets?
E) During the 2016
campaign, misinformation
("fake news") was being
spread on Facebook’s
News Feed. What was
Facebook’s position on this
type of news on its
platform?
F) Why did some feel
Facebook wasn’t doing
enough to monitor or
edit the news items
placed on its News
Feed?
Questions Part III
G) Explain the story
behind fake news
stories coming out of
Macedonia. Why do
you think these news
stories received so
many “likes” on
Facebook? What is the
potential danger to the
American public of
receiving this kind of
“news”?
H) Should you trust what
you read on Facebook or
other social media sites?
Use what you’ve learned in
these videos to justify your
response.
I) Do you think
technology platforms,
such as Facebook, have
a responsibility to
monitor what users
post? Explain your
answer.