scholarly journals Investigating Algorithmic Misconceptions in a Media Context: Source of a New Digital Divide?

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 134-144
Author(s):  
Brahim Zarouali ◽  
Natali Helberger ◽  
Claes H. De Vreese
Keyword(s):  
General Population ◽  
Digital Divide ◽  
Data Driven ◽  
Societal Implications ◽  
Representative Survey ◽  
Literacy Initiatives ◽  
The Media ◽  
Erroneous Beliefs ◽  
Media Channels ◽  
Large Representative

Algorithms are widely used in our data-driven media landscape. Many misconceptions have arisen about how these algorithms work and what they can do. In this study, we conducted a large representative survey (<em>N</em> = 2,106) in the Netherlands to explore algorithmic misconceptions. Results showed that a significant part of the general population holds (multiple) misconceptions about algorithms in the media. We found that erroneous beliefs about algorithms are more common among (1) older people (vs. younger people), (2) lower-educated people (vs. higher-educated), and (3) women (vs. men). In addition, it was found that people who had no specific sources to inform themselves about algorithms, and those relying on their friends/family for information, were more likely to have algorithmic misconceptions. Conversely, media channels, school, and having one’s own (online) experiences were found to be sources associated with having fewer algorithmic misconceptions. Theoretical implications are formulated in the context of algorithmic awareness and the digital divide. Finally, societal implications are discussed, such as the need for algorithmic literacy initiatives.

Foreign Media Exposure and Perceptions of Americans in Hong Kong, Shenzhen, and Singapore

1997 ◽  
Vol 74 (4) ◽  
pp. 738-756 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lars Willnat ◽  
Zhou He ◽  
Hao Xiaoming
Keyword(s):  
Hong Kong ◽  
Cultural Context ◽  
Media Exposure ◽  
Media Impact ◽  
Local Media ◽  
The Media ◽  
Foreign Media ◽  
Media Channels ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship

This study examines the relationship between foreign media exposure and stereotypical perceptions of and feelings toward Americans in Hong Kong, Shenzhen (China), and Singapore. In line with previous studies, it finds that foreign TV consumption is related to negative stereotypical perceptions of and feelings toward Americans among all tested subjects. However, it also finds that different types of foreign media, such as newspaper, radio, video, and movies, exhibit very distinct and different relationships with perceptions of Americans by subjects from China and Singapore. It suggests that in studies of foreign media impact, attention should be given to specific foreign media channels, the actual content of the media, the impact of local media, the stages at which other cultures encounter the Western culture, and the cultural context of each society.

The COVID-19 Pandemic

Glimpse ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 131-144
Author(s):  
Duygu Onay-Coker ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Hegemonic Discourse ◽  
Health Politics ◽  
Mainstream Media ◽  
Representation Of Women ◽  
News Stories ◽  
Unequal Treatment ◽  
Traditional Gender Roles ◽  
The Media ◽  
The Government ◽  
Media Channels

The COVID-19 pandemic both highlighted and exacerbated deep societal inequalities. Vulnerable and disadvantaged groups, especially women, faced even more unequal treatment. During the lockdown, women at home performed more childcare, and shouldered more cooking and cleaning duties, while husbands spent most of their time in virtual meetings. The media played a crucial role during this situation through its representation of women. An analysis of the reportage of two bestseller print mainstream media, Sabah and Hürriyet, compared to two alternative media channels on the internet, GazeteDuvar and T24, highlighted a serious difference in perspective in news stories about women. Bestseller mainstream Turkish media ignored the difficulties faced by women and followed dominant hegemonic discourse emphasizing women as wives and mothers who sacrifice themselves for their children and families. They ignored the plight of women victims subjected to violence during the lockdown and reproduced the idea of traditional gender roles through their news items. However, alternative newspapers provided a voice to the women, as well as to the voiceless, disadvantageous groups. They were critical of the government, local authorities, related powers, and their health politics. They did not prefer to ignore women and their voices but instead announced them in detail.

Untrustworthy News and the Media as “Enemy of the People?” How a Populist Worldview Shapes Recipients’ Attitudes toward the Media

2018 ◽  
Vol 24 (2) ◽  
pp. 146-164 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nayla Fawzi
Keyword(s):  
Media Coverage ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Theoretical Point ◽  
Representative Survey ◽  
Negative Attitudes ◽  
Negatively Associated ◽  
Commercial Media ◽  
The People ◽  
Normative Expectations ◽  
The Media

A common feature among populist parties and movements is their negative perspective on the media’s role in society. This paper analyzes whether citizens with a populist worldview also hold negative attitudes toward the media. From a theoretical point of view, the paper shows that both the anti-elite, anti-outgroup and people centrism dimension of populism contradicts the normative expectations toward the media. For instance, the assumption of a homogeneous people and the exclusion of a societal outgroup is incompatible with a pluralistic media coverage. The results of a representative survey in Germany predominantly confirmed a relation between a populist worldview and negative media attitudes. However, the three populism dimensions influenced the evaluations not in a consistent way. A systematic relation could only be found for antielite populism, which is negatively associated with all analyzed media evaluations such as media trust or satisfaction with the media’s performance. This indicates that in a populist worldview, the media are perceived as part of a detached elite that neglects the citizens’ interests. However, the results confirm the assumption of a natural ally between populism and tabloid or commercial media. Individuals with people centrist and anti-outgroup attitudes have higher trust in these media outlets.

scholarly journals MEDIA AND PUBLIC TRUST TOWARDS COVID-19 INFORMATION

2021 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 163-176
Author(s):  
Muhammad Yunus Patawari
Keyword(s):  
Mass Media ◽  
New Media ◽  
Public Trust ◽  
Online Questionnaire ◽  
The People ◽  
The Media ◽  
The Mass Media ◽  
Media Channels ◽  
And Behavior ◽  
Attitudes And Behavior

Mass media is one of the leading sectors in handling COVID-19. Amidst current health emergency, public trusttowards the information conveyed by the mass media is the key to successful mitigation. Various types of newsregarding massive COVID-19 reports in several media channels have the potential to cause information bias whichends in pros and cons. Insubstantial debates in varied media are counter-productive to the efforts of various partiesin educating the society to avoid misinformation. Based on this, it is important to know the media that are referencesand that gain public trust in seeking information. This study examines the level of public trust in information aboutCOVID-19 in the mass media, both old and new media, using an online questionnaire methodology on May 3, 2020,which was given to 60 respondents. The results show that the respondents’ level of faith in television is higher, but itsconsumption by viewers is much lower than that of online media (news sites and social media). The results showedthat viewers still deemed television a reliable reference for information. From these data it was found out why themedia are rarely used by the people but are able to gain high trust in the eyes of the public. The results of this studyare expected to provide an overview of the attitudes and behavior of the community in understanding COVID-19information so that relevant parties can make appropriate policies in the perspectives of media and communication.

Toiling in the Media Data Mines

2011 ◽  
pp. 167-189
Author(s):  
Robert Young
Keyword(s):  
Target Group ◽  
Media Management ◽  
Time And Space ◽  
The Media ◽  
Media Channels ◽  
Media Data

At PHD Canada, we deal in “time and space” — a phrase used when the term “media management” draws blank stares at cocktail parties. There are thousands of people like us, in hundreds of companies like ours, responsible for managing advertising media budgets. We all go to great lengths to create crisp target group definitions for consumer brands. We determine which media channels should be employed in support of our clients’ messages — time and space channels such as TV, radio, magazines, Internet, and newspapers. We recommend when our clients should run the media weight afforded by their budgets. And finally, we recommend how the weight should be distributed throughout the country, in which cities and which regions.

scholarly journals Is online fraud just fraud? Examining the efficacy of the digital divide

2019 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 120-131 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cassandra Cross
Keyword(s):  
Digital Divide ◽  
Virtual Environments ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Government Funding ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Online Fraud ◽  
Perceived Benefit ◽  
Potential Benefits ◽  
The Media ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose Fraud is not a new offence. However, the recent evolution and proliferation of technologies (predominantly the internet) has seen offenders increasingly use virtual environments to target and defraud victims worldwide. Several studies have examined the ways that fraud is perpetrated with a clear demarcation between terrestrial and cyber offences. However, with moves towards the notion of a “digital society” and recognition that technology is increasingly embedded across all aspects of our lives, it is important to consider if there is any advantage in categorising fraud against the type of environment it is perpetrated in. This paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach This paper examines the perceived utility of differentiating online and offline fraud offences. It is based upon the insights of thirty-one professionals who work within the “fraud justice network” across London, UK and Toronto, Canada. Findings It highlights both the realities faced by professionals in seeking to ether maintain or collapse such a differentiation in their everyday jobs and the potential benefits and challenges that result. Practical implications Overall, the paper argues that the majority of professionals did not feel a distinction was necessary and instead felt that an arbitrary divide was instead a hindrance to their activities. However, while not useful on a practical front, there was perceived benefit regarding government, funding and the media. The implications of this moving forward are considered. Originality/value This paper provides new insights into how fraud justice network professionals understand the distinction between fraud offences perpetrated across both online and offline environments.

Associations Between Migration Background and Media and Information Behavior in Primary School Children

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura Dauben ◽  
Katharina S. Weber ◽  
Lisa Nießen ◽  
Marlo Verket ◽  
Olaf Spörkel ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Digital Media ◽  
Health Information ◽  
Economic Status ◽  
Information Source ◽  
Information Behavior ◽  
Migration Background ◽  
Primary School Children ◽  
The Media ◽  
Media Channels ◽  
3Rd Grade

Abstract Background Children with migration background and from low socio-economic status are at higher risk for overweight. To determine appropriate media channels to possibly reach children with targeted health information, it has to be considered that the media and information behavior of children has changed during the last decades. Objective We examined the media and information behavior of children in low socio-economic districts, focusing on those with migration background. Methods Fourteen 3rd grade classes (n=250 children, 68.0% with migration background) completed a questionnaire regarding their media consumption, which was based on existing validated surveys. Results ≥ 50% of the children watched TV and around 40% used both mobile phones and computers/tablets/internet for ≥1 h/day. Books were the most popular analogue media (61.6% of children), whereas magazines/newspapers and radio (18.4 and 16.0% of children, respectively) were used less frequently. Furthermore, they regularly used internet, TV and their teachers (63.0, 48.8 and 44.8% of children, respectively) as information source. Especially children with compared to those without migration background less likely used the radio (P=0.0002) and their family as information source (P=0.0017). Conclusions Children attending 3rd grade class, especially with migration background, can be addressed through digital media rather than the radio. This may help to sustainably support children outside school with targeted health information.

Chernobyl and the Production of Ignorance: Review of Kate Brown's Manual for Survival

Slavic Review ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 79 (2) ◽  
pp. 288-292
Author(s):  
Olga Kuchinskaya
Keyword(s):  
Thyroid Cancer ◽  
General Population ◽  
United Nations ◽  
Emergency Responders ◽  
Death Toll ◽  
Nuclear Disaster ◽  
The Media ◽  
Cancer In Children

What is the number of casualties from the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear disaster? Historian Kate Brown's important book grew out of apparent frustration with the controversy surrounding the accident. Brown was frustrated with the position of United Nations agencies—often repeated in the media—that only thirty-one to fifty-four died as the result of the accident, most of them emergency responders. The only recognized effect for the general population was an increase in nonfatal thyroid cancer in children. She was also frustrated with the assertions that we might never know the actual death toll.

Who Do You Loathe? Feelings toward Politicians vs. Ordinary People in the Opposing Party

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jon Kingzette
Keyword(s):  
Future Research ◽  
Ordinary People ◽  
Representative Survey ◽  
Mass Public ◽  
Opposing Party ◽  
Party Elites ◽  
The Media ◽  
Positive Feelings ◽  
Nationally Representative ◽  
Democrats And Republicans

Abstract Scholars, the media, and ordinary people alike express alarm at the apparent loathing between Democrats and Republicans in the mass public. However, the evidence of such loathing typically comes from survey items that measure attitudes toward the Democratic and Republican Parties, rather than attitudes toward ordinary partisans. Using a nationally representative survey, I find that Democrats and Republicans have substantially more positive feelings toward ordinary people belonging to the opposing party than they do toward politicians in the opposing party and the opposing party itself. These results indicate that research relying on measures of feelings toward the opposing “Party” vastly overstates levels of partisan animosity in the American public and demonstrate the need to distinguish between attitudes toward party elites and ordinary partisans in future research.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document