The role of an informed public in democratic systems

Democracy requires citizens who are able and willing to update their preferences in response to relevant information. In recent years, changes in the information environment brought on by new technologies have raised concerns about the quality of political information available to citizens. This chapter reviews recent research into three such changes—media fragmentation, social media, and fake news—and potentially negative consequences. While these developments certainly pose new challenges for democracy, the research reviewed here shows that conventional wisdom overstates and misunderstands their potential consequences. For instance, “echo chambers” are not ubiquitous; social media often expose users to cross-cutting views; and fake news consumption is modest and concentrated among ideologically extreme citizens. The consequences of recent changes in the information environment, then, are more nuanced. Research shows that these changes may fuel polarization among already extreme citizens, reduce belief in true claims, and diminish feelings of trust and efficacy. After reviewing this research, the chapter concludes with a discussion of policy responses by governments, social media platforms, and other actors.