Read on Twitter
“When we do not know, or when we do not know enough, we tend always to substitute #emotions for thoughts.”
—T. S. Eliot
I’d like you to understand why I keep saying
—your emotions are the target
—outrage is the goal
—To defeat, don’t repeat
Come, sit, read.
—T. S. Eliot
I’d like you to understand why I keep saying
—your emotions are the target
—outrage is the goal
—To defeat, don’t repeat
Come, sit, read.
Going viral:
content that stirs #emotions—Amusement, shock & outrage determine how quickly and how far a given piece of information will spread through a social network.
Shorter: LOL/WTF/OMG Content takes off and spreads.
content that stirs #emotions—Amusement, shock & outrage determine how quickly and how far a given piece of information will spread through a social network.
Shorter: LOL/WTF/OMG Content takes off and spreads.
Various studies over extended periods of time all come to the same conclusion:
the stronger the emotions involved, the likelier something is to go viral.
the stronger the emotions involved, the likelier something is to go viral.
2013
Study by Chinese data scientists
on Weibo.
70M msgs
200k users
RESULT:
anger traveled fastest & farthest
“Anger is more influential than other emotions like joy,” researchers concluded.
ONE SINGLE INSTANCE of OUTRAGE could tear through an online community like wildfire.
Study by Chinese data scientists
on Weibo.
70M msgs
200k users
RESULT:
anger traveled fastest & farthest
“Anger is more influential than other emotions like joy,” researchers concluded.
ONE SINGLE INSTANCE of OUTRAGE could tear through an online community like wildfire.
“The angry mood delivered through social ties could boost the spread of the corresponding news and speed up the formation of public opinion and collective behavior,” the researchers wrote.
“People who hadn’t been angry before, seeing so much anger around them, feel inclined to ramp up their language and join in the fury.”
2014:
Facebook. Secret study.
Partnering with Facebook, data scientists manipulated the newsfeeds of nearly 700k users for a week, without their knowledge.
Some were exposed to more positive stories. And others, saw more negative stories.
Facebook. Secret study.
Partnering with Facebook, data scientists manipulated the newsfeeds of nearly 700k users for a week, without their knowledge.
Some were exposed to more positive stories. And others, saw more negative stories.
In each case, Facebook users altered their own behavior to match their new “reality”, becoming happier or angrier in the process.
This effect was the strongest with those who were fed more negative stories.
Now combine that with the weaponization of your personal data.
This effect was the strongest with those who were fed more negative stories.
Now combine that with the weaponization of your personal data.
It was called #emotionalcontagion:
the SPREAD of EMOTIONS through SOCIAL NETWORKS that RESEMBLED the transmission of a VIRUS
.
“Emotional contagion occurs without direct interaction between people & in the complete absence of nonverbal cues.”
the SPREAD of EMOTIONS through SOCIAL NETWORKS that RESEMBLED the transmission of a VIRUS
. “Emotional contagion occurs without direct interaction between people & in the complete absence of nonverbal cues.”
Just seeing REPEATED MESSAGES of joy or outrage was ENOUGH to make people FEEL those EMOTIONS THEMSELVES.
Anger =most potent emotion
Also the most interactive.
“As social media users find ways to express (or exploit) anger, they generate new pieces of content that are propelled through the same system, setting off additional cascades of fury.”
Also the most interactive.
“As social media users find ways to express (or exploit) anger, they generate new pieces of content that are propelled through the same system, setting off additional cascades of fury.”
ISIS propaganda
dual purpose:
1. Shock and outrage in the West
2. Inspired violent anti-Islamic backlash, which ISIS used to recruit (much like white power extremists do when they are attacked by anti-fascists)
dual purpose:
1. Shock and outrage in the West
2. Inspired violent anti-Islamic backlash, which ISIS used to recruit (much like white power extremists do when they are attacked by anti-fascists)
Anger is not always bad. It drives us to do good things like organize and vote.
But...
Bc it’s so effective at building and sustaining an audience, those who seek viral fame and power have every reason to exploit it to provoke fury in others.
But...
Bc it’s so effective at building and sustaining an audience, those who seek viral fame and power have every reason to exploit it to provoke fury in others.
GOAL OF TROLLS:
To provoke a furious response.
Their messages vary and are almost irrelevant
The one constant?
their use of emotional manipulation
To provoke a furious response.
Their messages vary and are almost irrelevant
The one constant?
their use of emotional manipulation
“The key to being a good troll is being just stupid enough to be believable, keeping in mind that the ultimate goal is making people mad online.”
When you are provoked by a tweet or a post, and you reply, retweet, quote tweet, share, you are helping that message spread which then affects even more people and so on.
Don’t be a pawn.
Don’t be a pawn.
— LikeWar: The Weaponization of Social Media by P. W. Singer, Emerson T. Brooking http://a.co/ctOcOjL
