Influencing machines (129)
how does gladstone define “homophily”?

in your words, describe the “echo chamber” effect that gladstone claims that the internet creates. what is the potential negative impact of echo chambers?

how does the concept of echo chambers relate to the ways that you can set your preferences on social media and other apps to change what updates/news/profiles that appear in your feed? considering gladstone’s argument, what are the pros/cons of altering the news that you see/don’t see?

histrionics are exaggerated dramatic behaviors designed to attract attention. why does gladstone discuss this concept in the reading? what point does she want to make about people’s perceptions of the media/communication over the course of history?

…um, panic? (137)
is “choice overload” a real phenomenon? how is this concept related to the concept of “filter failure”?

join the debate in the graphic on p.139. do you agree with smith-lovin’s argument about social media, or rainie? why? provide an example from your life. consider gladstone’s own critiques on the pages that follow as well.

do you agree or disagree with gladstone’s statement that “cell phone addiction may be our way of medicating against isolation. and information addiction may inoculate us against echo chambers”? what have you noticed about when and how you use your cell phone?

what is the difference between “deep attention” and “hyper attention”? when do you notice that you fall into these different attentions?

develop a level-three question for discussion in response to this section of the reading.