Twitter dealing with academics to stimulate ‘healthy discussion’

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Twitter is dealing with scholars to cultivate much healthier discussions on its platform. (Photo by Jaap Arriens/ NurPhoto through Getty Images)


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Twitter understands it has issues, and it’s relying on scholars for assistance.

Twitter is partnering with scientists from numerous universities to much better comprehend how to cultivate “healthy conversation” based upon “openness and civility,” the business stated Monday in a blog post.

The effort comes as Twitter and Facebook deal with reaction over their influence on politics and culture in the wake of the 2016 governmental election. Twitter has actually been tidying up its platform, such as getting rid of phony accounts and bots.

“The bot problem is one of several problems for Twitter. It’s not promoting civil discourse. It’s creating angst and chaos,” Brian Solis, an expert at Altimeter Group, stated in February after Twitter purged accounts if users could not show they were human.

Twitter has actually begun its brand-new task with academic community “to measure conversational health,” according to its article. The task generally checks out 2 elements: how groups form based upon political views on Twitter and whether direct exposure to variety and different views can assist reduce bias and discrimination.

Scholars from Leiden University, Syracuse University, Delft University of Technology and Bocconi University will determine how groups form on Twitter through political conversations and possible difficulties as these groups establish. The focus points consist of echo chambers, uncivil discourse, incivility and intolerance.

“It is clear that if we are going to effectively evaluate and address some of the most difficult challenges arising on social media, academic researchers and tech companies will need to work together much more closely,” Rebekah Tromble, assistant teacher of government at Leiden University, stated in the article.

Researchers from the University of Oxford and the University of Amsterdam will take a look at how individuals utilize the social networks platform and the results of direct exposure to various backgrounds, beliefs and experiences.

“Evidence from social psychology has shown how communication between people from different backgrounds is one of the best ways to decrease prejudice and discrimination,” Miles Hewstone, teacher of social psychology at Oxford University, stated in the article. “We’re aiming to investigate how this understanding can be used to measure the health of conversations on Twitter, and whether the effects of positive online interaction carry across to the offline world.”

“This is in an effort to improve the experience of our customers, and evaluate how we can ensure the health of conversation on Twitter,” stated a Twitter representative in an e-mail declaration. “Researchers will have access to public Twitter content, working closely with a cross-functional team at Twitter to address this top concern.”

First released on July 30, 10: 49 a.m. PT.

Updates, 11: 59 a.m. PT: Adds Twitter representative declaration.

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