Look back at old original social media networks such as “Live Journal” “Open Diary” or “Xanga”. Now consider how similar Facebook Groups are to those original blog websites. Those were all very early websites when the first personal computers were becoming more affordable. Facebook Groups are now becoming the most popular way to use Facebook. So much so, that they are pushing group post notifications to the top of your notification list, and the top of your feed. I have even seen a Facebook commercial on TV pushing for the use of groups.
People say history repeats itself and in this instance I would agree. People want to be around like-minded people. Now Facebook is offering a place to do this with little moderation. If I enjoy kayaking in Northeast Florida, there is a group for me. If I love classic MG cars, there is a group for me. If I knit teddy bears on the weekends, there is a group for me.
Groups have a heavy focus on like-minded community. In a way, groups are an easy way to get out of the main feed and cater posts to what you want to see with little to no moderation. Obviously, the admins of groups are the moderators, but the moderators can simply choose to not be active. Although users must still adhere to Facebook’s community guidelines, most of the time users can post whatever they like about any topic of the group. This is dangerous. Misinformation from confirmation bias can be incredibly dangerous.
Misinformation runs rampant in the confirmation bias-based groups and it will pretty much be inevitable. Bias is everywhere and it will be incredibly difficult to stop false information from being shared, no matter the algorithm Facebook creates. There is too much information posted online and received for any one person to take the time and fact check in. Algorithms can be created to stop the spread of news links, but with the way news works now, anyone can repost the same text on any news platform and reshare it. Facebook would have a difficult time overcoming the spread of misinformation.
People in general know about the risks associated with the spread of misinformation, but how can groups be useful to society? Well let’s look at the “Instant Pot” Facebook Group. It might not be the most life changing group, but it is very positive. The group has hundreds of posts a day with easy recipes for anyone with an Instant Pot. It is a useful tool for families looking to make fast, easy, or cheap meals.
Another example is the “Anxiety and I” This is a place where members can reach out for help with their mental help and find people to talk to. I scrolled past several positive testimonies from members who have helped and been helped by other members. It is a great example of how a group can change someone’s life in a positive way. The group has 1.4 million members and hundreds of posts a day. The groups most often posts are images with encouraging words such as the example below.
Groups are the most trendy thing of 2020, but how can we limit the hate and spread the positivity?
https://www.facebook.com/groups/InstantPotCommunity
https://www.facebook.com/Anxiety-I-250440331738782/?ref=page_internal
