Interested in diversity: The role of user attitudes, algorithmic feedback loops, and policy in news personalization
Abstract
Using survey evidence from the Netherlands, we explore the factors that influence news readers’ attitudes toward news personalization. We show that the value of personalization depends on commonly overlooked factors, such as concerns about a shared news sphere, and the diversity of recommendations. However, these expectations are not universal. Younger, less educated users are more exposed to personalized news and show little concern about diverse news recommendations. Quality news organizations that pursue reader loyalty and trust are incentivized to implement personalization algorithms that aim for diversity and high quality recommendations. However, some users are in danger of being left out of this positive feedback loop. We make specific policy suggestions regarding how to solve that issue.
Links
frontpage, Mediarecht, news, personalization, survey, the netherlands, user attitudes
Bibtex
Article{Bodó2019,
title = {Interested in diversity: The role of user attitudes, algorithmic feedback loops, and policy in news personalization},
author = {Bodó, B. and Helberger, N. and Eskens, S. and Möller, J.},
url = {https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/21670811.2018.1521292},
doi = {https://doi.org/10.1080/21670811.2018.1521292},
year = {0108},
date = {2019-01-08},
journal = {Digital Journalism},
volume = {7},
number = {2},
pages = {206-229},
abstract = {Using survey evidence from the Netherlands, we explore the factors that influence news readers’ attitudes toward news personalization. We show that the value of personalization depends on commonly overlooked factors, such as concerns about a shared news sphere, and the diversity of recommendations. However, these expectations are not universal. Younger, less educated users are more exposed to personalized news and show little concern about diverse news recommendations. Quality news organizations that pursue reader loyalty and trust are incentivized to implement personalization algorithms that aim for diversity and high quality recommendations. However, some users are in danger of being left out of this positive feedback loop. We make specific policy suggestions regarding how to solve that issue.},
keywords = {frontpage, Mediarecht, news, personalization, survey, the netherlands, user attitudes},
}