Influence of digital news recommendations News plays a crucial role in a functioning democracy, but the way news is distributed and consumed online is changing rapidly. Algorithms and personalization can narrow news coverage, leaving users with less diverse and socially relevant news. Mattis shows that news providers, if they want to, have plenty of opportunities to influence this process by shaping digital news environments to encourage engagement with diverse news. At the same time, nudges can have unintended side effects, depending on how they are used.
Nudging in practice
Mattis examined various nudges, such as:
- The structure of news websites and aggregators (e.g., arrangement of articles);
- The content of news (such as the impact of catchy headlines);
- The presentation in the user interface (e.g., labels and recommendations).
His research shows that changes in the structure of news platforms have a particularly strong effect on news selection. Other nudges prove especially effective when they respond to the preferences of individual users.
Experiments in realistic news environments
To measure the effects of nudging, Mattis used a variety of methods, including literature reviews, interviews and experiments with realistic news environments. He developed his own experimental websites and worked with a computer scientist to test nudges in a realistic news app. He filled this app, which was available for download through the app store, with current news stories for a week. This allowed him to test how nudges influence news engagement and learning in a realistic setting.
Implications for news professionals
The results of the research can help news professionals design digital news platforms that not only respond to user preferences, but also contribute to an informed audience. In addition, the findings align with broader literature on nudging, which shows that a single nudge has limited influence on behavior, but a clever combination of nudges can have an effect.