Online Echo Chamber and First-Time Voters in the 2019 Thai General Election

Abstract

The research objectives are as follows: 1) to explore echo chamber effects on first-time voters’ online political communication during the 2019 General Election, 2) to study the relationship between online echo chamber and political attitudes, and 3) analyze contributory factors to the phenomenon of echo chambers. Mixed methods are employed. The findings are that certain ideas and sets of information have been reinforced and disseminated widely through reproduction and support in polarized groups. Some methods yield findings suggesting the “filter bubbles” phenomenon or algorithmic filtering based on user preferences. Furthermore, the presence of echo chamber condition is found to have statistically significant relationship to users’ political attitudes, resulting in the creation of “thought landscape” surrounding each individual. These elements together with the technological factors and social group formation have direct bearings on the creation of “terrains of thoughts” which is a pre-condition for echo chamber phenomenon. In addition, the following factors are found to directly contribute to the formation of echo chambers: 1) the algorithmic filtering which creates the filter bubbles, 2) users’ exposure to political news and information, 3) political attitudes and the related political context, and 4) social networks and political participation as manifested in social media.