Question

due december 13, 2025 at 11:59 pm
anti-social networks? were just as cliquey online
laura sydell • 2011
font size medium
for some people, online social networking sites help them make new friends and keep
in touch with old ones. for others, social networking sites may be reinforcing existing
biases and limits new social experiences.
as you read, identify the author’s claims about the influence of social media.
(1) social networks such as facebook and twitter
are helping people keep in touch with friends
and family. but just how social are those
networks? are internet communities simply
“real-world” cliques moved online?
dwayne aikens uses facebook to stay in
touch with people he already knows —
friends and family who, for the most part,
share his political views. aikens lives in
oakland, calif., and runs a nonprofit that
focuses on health and fitness.
“a lot of my friends are democrats and
liberals,” aikens says — and his facebook
newsfeed reflects that. he doesn’t see many
posts from conservatives, he admits.
facebook’s software may be reinforcing his tendency to only see links from people he
agrees with. when facebook displays your “top news,” it’s guessing what you’re
interested in seeing based on how often you have clicked on a particular friend’s
entries in the past.
social media by martin gysler is licensed
under cc by-nc-sa 2.0.
read aloud annotate translate
assessment questions
1 2 3 4

1. what connection does the author draw between facebook

and one’s personal views in the article?
a. the author points out that facebook allows people
to explore new ideas and engage in discussions with
strangers.

b. the author discusses how someone’s personal
facebook profile is shaped by their ability to “like” a post.

c. the author talks about how facebook fails to actually
grow one’s social circle because most people are \friends\
with people whom they know in real life.

d. the author explains how facebook caters towards a
person’s interests and social circles, reinforcing their
established views.
back save & next

Explanation:

To solve this, we analyze each option:

• Option A: The article says social networks may limit new experiences, so exploring new ideas with strangers is incorrect.
• Option B: The article doesn't discuss "liking" shaping profiles; it's about content shown based on existing connections/views.
• Option C: The article's focus is on reinforcing views, not just about social circle size (though it mentions real - life friends, the main point is about views).
• Option D: The text states Facebook's software reinforces the tendency to see links from people one agrees with (e.g., Aikens' newsfeed reflects his political views), meaning it caters to interests and social circles, reinforcing established views.

Answer:

D. The author explains how Facebook caters towards a person's interests and social circles, reinforcing their established views.