Social Echo Chamber: Information Convergence and Its Media Logic in Internet Communication: Computational Communication Analysis Based on Toutiao Samples

XU Xiang, WANG Yuchen

Chinese Journal of Journalism & Communication ›› 2021, Vol. 43 ›› Issue (7) : 99-124.

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Chinese Journal of Journalism & Communication ›› 2021, Vol. 43 ›› Issue (7) : 99-124.
Communication Research

Social Echo Chamber: Information Convergence and Its Media Logic in Internet Communication: Computational Communication Analysis Based on Toutiao Samples

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Abstract

Although the phenomenon of online content assimilation and ‘social echo chamber’ has received certain attention, its media logic and process still need to be investigated in concrete and in-depth practice. This article focuses on the deterministic association mechanism between network information assimilation and the clout, and analyzes how the information shows the corresponding enhancement of convergence as it goes viral. Based on large-scale network media Toutiao, the results show that: 1) In the certain cycles, the higher clout, the stronger similarity of the post group towards all posts and towards the top level posts as well as within its group; 2) The intra-layer convergence, the overall convergence, and the top convergence are highly related and consistent, and constitute diverse aspects of differentiation and unity in the information process; 3) The convergence of social information with changes of the clout evolves without a sudden break, but with a continuous, smooth gradation; 4) Within the selected 24 cycles, the variation of the above phenomena and its curve functions with the evolution of clout is very small and not sensitive to the length of cycles; 5) There is a positive correlation and regular covariation between the degree of convergence of information and the degree of mediated transmission with R2 reaching 90% and more. It alerts that more attention should be paid from the local “echo chamber” to the “social echo chamber” and its social-cultural implication. The risk of information alienation from the local “balkanization” to the overall “balkanization” of the network should be fully examined.

Key words

social information convergence / content homogeneity / content similarity / information narrowing

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XU Xiang , WANG Yuchen. Social Echo Chamber: Information Convergence and Its Media Logic in Internet Communication: Computational Communication Analysis Based on Toutiao Samples[J]. Chinese Journal of Journalism & Communication. 2021, 43(7): 99-124

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Footnotes

1. 各子图的周期分别为5天至120天,自左到右、自上到下排列。

2. 各子图的周期分别为5、10、15、20、100、110、115、120天,自左到右、自上到下排列。

3. 各子图的周期分别为5、10、15、20、100、110、115、120天,自左到右、自上到下排列。

4. 各子图的周期分别为5、10、15、20、100、110、115、120天,自左到右、自上到下排列。

Funding

National Natural Science Foundation of China project “Analysis of the Mechanism of Information Narrowing of Users in Social Network Interaction”(71804126)
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