Internet May Increase Intolerance For Others

Survey Reveals Online Social Networking Doesn't Foster Tolerance

Jun 18, 2009

Pew Research Center found that more than half the surveyed experts predicted the Internet would not increase tolerance among people.

In December 2008 Pew Internet & American Life Researchers found that 56% of the experts who responded to their "Future of the Internet III" questionnaire did not agree that the Internet would make people more tolerant of others.

Online Social Networking & Impact on Tolerance For Others

Pew presented Internet leaders, social analysts and activists eight scenarios outlining the potential impact of the Internet on society, communications and technology.

One scenario suggested that in 2020 people would be more tolerant of others largely because the Internet provides online users an expanded view of the world and differing viewpoints. This increase in tolerance would manifest in less violence, strife and "overt acts of bigotry and hate crimes." (Pew Internet Project,"Future of the Internet III, December 2008 in allliance with Elon University, Scenario Two of the Survey: "Evolution of Social Intolerance").

Many experts responded that while the Internet has expanded the potential for creating social tolerance because it opens people up to a broad spectrum of views, ideas and cultures, the net impact is still negative. The Internet many suggest, increases the potential for terrorism, hate and bigotry because online communities provide easy opportunities for people to splinter into special interest groups and promote their particular cause.

"Still, (says the Pew report), about a third mostly agreed with the premise, optimistic that gains will be made, while adding the qualifier that negative agendas will always also be well-served by advances in communications technologies."

Internet, Facebook, My Space, Twitter: Experts Weigh In On Impact of Internet

Participants were asked to elaborate on their response. While some experts felt the Internet would not increase tolerance among people pre-disposed to being single-minded, others were unsure or saw potential for the Internet having a positive impact on social tolerance.

"Five years ago I would have agreed that technology would encourage greater tolerance. I now think that un-intermediated, personal, face-to-face contact, focused on a common goal of some kind, still is needed to break down these barriers. Otherwise “the other” remains strange and feared. Susan Crawford, founder of OneWebDay, celebrated each Sept. 22; ICANN board member; associate professor, Cardozo Law School; visiting professor, Yale Law School

"The Internet is actually collapsing the size of the group one interacts with, so if this trend continues we'll see more polarization rather than tolerance. This will due to the diminishing exposure to alternative ideas and concepts." Bernardo Huberman, senior fellow and director of the Social Computing Lab, HP Laboratories; consulting professor in the Department of Applied Physics at Stanford University

Some experts feel because the Internet provides a connection for people who might otherwise be shut off from information and access to others, feel marginalized or on the fringes of society, that online communities will provide them with a positive form of social connection.

"Most conflicts come from myopic perceptions that do not see the other side of the coin. With the Internet (thanks to social networks, tourism Web sites, blogs, and YouTube), more people have access to information about other (including opposing) views and cultures. Tolerance will be on the rise, and more people will break beyond myopia by seeing the parts of the world they are unable to visit physically through online opportunities. At least many people now know that Africa is not a country. :)" Gbenga Sesan, Internet development consultant, Paradigm Initiative, Nigeria; his work is tied to the use of ICT’s in socioeconomic transformation, focusing on underserved groups

While more than half the experts were not overly optimistic about how the Internet would impact social tolerance, many were also ambivalent.

"I mostly agree that social tolerance has advanced significantly, but I really don't think that the Internet will be the greatest cause. It more likely due to, again, inevitable cultural shifts brought about by demographic changes bubbling through neighborhoods, educational institutions, commerce, and community affairs. Also, it looks like we are headed for hard economic times in the country that may extend well into the period leading up to 2020, and facing that as a nation may well bring us together, provided we get past the scapegoating of “the others.” Peter Eckart, director of health information technology, Illinois Public Health Institute

"While the rise of personal blogs and the opening up of news articles for reader comments has helped bring multiple voices into play, I fear most still feel most comfortable listening to the voices they agree with." Michael Zimmer, Ph.D. and resident fellow at the Information Society Project at Yale Law School; research includes social and cultural dimensions of new information technologies.

The experts in the Pew study did not reach a consensus when they predicted the impact of the Internet on social tolerance in the future. Overall most experts felt, according to Pew's summary of findings, "The transparency of people and organizations will increase, but that will not necessarily yield more personal integrity, social tolerance, or forgiveness."

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