33 problems with media quiz

Question 1

the overton window

Answer 1

Issues outside of a narrow window of “acceptable” mainstream discourse tend not to be discussed.

Question 2

agenda setting

Answer 2

A form of structural bias that sees mass media and influencers direct public discourse by placing importance on select topics.

Question 3

tabloidization

Answer 3

Enhanced focus on entertainment and the lives of celebrities, and more superficial coverage of current events.

Question 4

filter bubbles

Answer 4

Highly personalized content feeds result in a lack of exposure to viewpoints that are outside a user’s existing worldview.

Question 5

algorithmic radicalization

Answer 5

The hypothesis that recommendation engines can steer users towards increasingly extreme content on social platforms.

Question 6

slactivism

Answer 6

Publicly supporting political or social causes through low effort social media updates or online petitions.

Question 7

ad clutter

Answer 7

When the usability of a news website is impacted by pop-ups, auto-play videos, and intrusive banner ads.

Question 8

astroturfing

Answer 8

Publishing content that creates the illusion of grassroots interest in a policy or individual.

Question 9

deplatforming

Answer 9

When individuals and communities are banned from social and publishing platforms.

Question 10

context stripping

Answer 10

As stories are shared over social media channels, the most compelling, intuitive framing wins out. This digital natural selection strips layers of context away, warping how stories are perceived.

Question 11

no fly zones

Answer 11

A form of implicit bias that sees topics or subjects excluded from critical coverage due to advertiser relationships.

Question 12

infotainment

Answer 12

“News” that is optimized to hook viewers in by prioritizing entertainment value over factual reporting.

Question 13

horse race journalism

Answer 13

A form of political coverage that emphasizes polling and the likelihood of victory over topics that are in the public interest.

Question 14

fake news/ disinformation

Answer 14

Deliberately disseminating untrue information or publishings.

Question 15

good vs evil

Answer 15

A form of oversimplification that fits people into villain-victim-hero frameworks, or frames complex conflicts into these simple terms.

Question 16

clickbait

Answer 16

A framing method that uses exaggerated language and omitted information to entice readers to click through or watch.

Question 17

surveillance capitalism

Answer 17

The capture and monetization of personal data.

Question 18

churnalism

Answer 18

When media outlets publish press release and other forms of pre-packaged content, insteas of original reporting.

Question 19

paywalls

Answer 19

A mechanism that prevents users from accessing specific content without a paid subscription.

Question 20

news deserts

Answer 20

Communities that are no longer served by dedicated local news media.

Question 21

media consolidation

Answer 21

Formerly independent outlets being bought up by larger media corporations, creating the illusion of choice.

Question 22

social bots

Answer 22

Autonomous or human-run accounts on social media platforms that manipulate discussions and boost specific messages.

Question 23

rumor cascades

Answer 23

When a single social media post begins to spread in unbroken chains across a platform. This distribution pattern enables the viral spread of unvetted information.

Question 24

hit and run coverage

Answer 24

When news outlets publish a breaking story, and subsequently fail to follow up with additional facts, nuanced analysis, or broader context.

Question 25

dogpiling

Answer 25

A high volume of messages and/or targeted harassment for an infraction or opinion that the group does not agree with.

Question 26

implied truth effect

Answer 26

Attaching warnings to specific pieces of content increases perceived accuracy of content without warnings.

Question 27

explicit bias

Answer 27

When the attitudes and beliefs of publishers overtly dictate what stories are covered and how those stories are framed.

Question 28

argument capture

Answer 28

Defaulting to an adversarial approach when encountering people with an opposing worldview.

Question 29

deviancy amplification spiral

Answer 29

A phenomenon defined by increasing reports of violent or antisocial behavior grows into moral panic.

Question 30

sensationalism

Answer 30

The intentional use of provocative framing and exaggeration to attract more attention to stories.

Question 31

cherrypicking

Answer 31

Using incomplete or out of context supporting evidence (e.g. data points, anecdotes, studies), while excluding opposing evidence.

Question 32

narrative fallacy

Answer 32

The tendency to take sequences of facts and infuse them with cause and effect explanations.

Question 33

false balance/ bothsidesism

Answer 33

Presenting two sides of an issue as if they are equally weighted when there is not corresponding proof to support both sides equally