Use of Internet is a way to either confirm or reduce our bias?
Internet, undoubtedly, is a common information collection method for all individuals throughout world, regardless of their occupation, identity, gender, aged group and so forth. In common practice, we believe that the more you use the internet, the less bias you generate; because the internet supposes as a way to rectify our false beliefs or viewpoints. However, in accordance with a research conducted by Vicario, Scala, Caldarelli, Stanley and Quattrociocchi (2016), users of different social networking sites, such as Facebook, are more likely to read as much as information to confirm or adhere to their core beliefs, whereas to disconnect with those dissenting opinions or details. An interesting instance is a disputed incident on LEGCO in these months. Two nominated legislators, due to the failure of swearing process, developed a lot of social impacts and concerns because of not just their behaviors but also the custom and value. However, we do not want to discuss whether their behaviors were inappropriate, or whether the interpretation of Basic Law (Art. 104) from NPCSC adversely influenced the rule of law in Hong Kong. It is possible to pay prodigious attention that if a person chooses a side of either consenting or dissenting, he or she is more possibly to browse the information from one side and totally (or to a large extent) ignore the other. Therefore, it is an interesting question for the public to reflect whether their critical sense is enough.
Reference: Del Vicario, M., Scala, A., Caldarelli, G., Stanley, H. E., & Quattrociocchi, W. (2016). Modeling confirmation bias and polarization. arXiv preprint arXiv:1607.00022.