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Information Cascades in the Philippines’s Presidential Election

This article discusses two things. First, it discusses the amoral fascist regime of one President Duerte of the Philippines. It documents how he’s used his position to silence dissenters and squash the press and journalism in his country. The article then beings explaining the “cascade of lies.” A study conducted by the Filipino news organization Rappler had discovered that among the 47 million Filipinos on Facebook, an information cascade had been created through the use of “niche accounts” and “boundary spanners.” Through the bridging of small networks, pro-Duerte messages were able to reach millions. They discovered “26 interlocking Facebook accounts with phony identities” that was able to change the mind of over 3 million voters. Celebrities were also used to push the political message. This façade of a grass-roots social media experience helped change other people’s minds and helped soften the violent demeanor of Duerte.

 

This is related to our class contents because it is an example of an information cascade. Individuals see pro-Duerte messages online and even if they are unsure or don’t like the candidate themselves, they assume that there is something to be learned because others they know or may respect support that candidate. This sequentially stacking sequence remains one of the main drivers behind the power of political messaging on social media as it help reaffirm one’s own beliefs and creates an echo chamber fit for radicalization.

 

Source:

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/15/magazine/rappler-philippines-maria-ressa.html

 

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