Online bubbles and echo chambers as social systems

Abstract

PurposeThe aim of the text is to reflect on the formation of the so-called digital echo chambers or filter bubbles, which are environments formed around particular topics whose objective is to promote a given political-ideological position. The argument the author puts forward is that echo chambers are social systems of interaction created to deal with the process of informational overload brought about by the consolidation of digital media in people’s daily lives.Design/methodology/approachThe author used Niklas Luhmann’s theory of social systems to explain what the author is calling social systems of interaction. Furthermore, the author made clarifications about: (1) the current debate regarding echo chambers; (2) what is the concept of “information” that the author is using to formulate the proposition and (3) what is the specificity that digital media bring when the author talks about informational overload and about the formation of echo chambers.FindingsThe author concluded that echo chambers can be seen as digital interaction systems, but the concept of “interaction” must be adapted. The author also concluded that echo chambers help society to deal with the phenomenon of informational overload.Originality/valueThere are few works which try to make a detailed analysis of echo chambers from a Luhmannian perspective. With the propositions presented in this text, along with other writings of the own, the author gives an important step in that direction by introducing the topic in the social systems researchers community.