Abstract

Consider the notion that the Internet leads to consensus. The so called echo chamber theory suggests that like-minded individuals join each other’s social networks online and thus are receptive to only beliefs and opinions they already maintain. Online tools, the theory claims, such as the Facebook like button and Twitter’s heart-shaped like reinforce preestablished online behaviors of agreement. Paul Adams, Facebook’s former head of brand design, calls this process social proof. “We copy other people’s behavior,” he writes, “especially people like us”. Social proof is the adjusting of online behavior based on a perceived group think, behavior, or shared communication...