Author(s) :

Sarah Markowitz.

Volume/Issue :

Abstract :

Affective polarization–when individuals have positive feelings about members of their party and negative, harsh views about members of the opposing party–has become an ever-growing concern. In recent years, especially with the rise of social media, many have begun to take notice of affective polarization. The literature has shown that social media has the effect of creating echo chambers in which individuals are only exposed to content promoting their own views and biases. While scholars have explored the potential for media literacy programs to decrease affective polarization, we don’t yet know whether media literacy programs can reduce the spread of affective polarization on social media. This paper explores whether media literacy programs could decrease affective polarization on social media and draws the conclusion that implementing a program like this is not only difficult but will likely have adverse effects such as fostering cynicism. These findings suggest that addressing the nation’s polarization will require legal regulations.