Social media backlash research

MOST social media users think tech giants exert “too much control” over the news they read and are responsible for spreading incorrect and biased stories on networks.

The findings, from a study of more than 5000 people by the Pew Research Centre, also named Facebook as the main offender, as it had become a source of news for more than half of all adults in the US.

The findings contradict claims by Facebook in Australia, which told the consumer watchdog it did not wield “substantial market power” in news, and argued it should not have to pay media organisations for using their content.

The social media research, based on a survey of 5107 people in July, found adults were “highly concerned” and “pessimistic” about the way social networks prioritised, filtered and censored their news online.

“Majorities say that social media companies have too much control over the news on their sites and that the role social media companies play in delivering the news on their sites results in a worse mix of news for users,” study authors Elisa Shearer and Elizabeth Grieco wrote.

Six in 10 respondents said social media companies had “too much control” over the news stories people saw and five in 10 said their actions resulted in a worse selection of news delivered to users, with concerns “attention-grabbing” articles or those with a political bias were prioritised.

More than half those surveyed named “one-sided” and “inaccurate news” as “very big problems”, in addition to censorship, “uncivil discussions,” and harassment of journalists.