new research highlighted a dramatic change in Finnish Twitter discourse regarding NATO after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The study, conducted jointly by Aalto University and the University of Helsinki, revealed that Finnish Twitter users, particularly those identified as leftists, have seen a significant shift in attitudes towards NATO.
Before Russia’s large-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Finnish public opinion on NATO membership was divided.
It has an approval rating of only 20-30% and falls mainly along left-right political lines. However, this study shows a significant depolarization of public opinion following the invasion, as observed in Twitter conversations. Depolarization here refers to the convergence of opposing social views.
Yang XiaHe is a postdoctoral researcher at Aalto University’s Department of Computer Science and explains: We used retweet trends to categorize these ideological groups. ”
After the invasion, there were notable changes. “Left-wing anti-NATO groups have broken out of their retweet bubbles and become closer to NATO supporters, regardless of their previous left-right divide. However, groups of conspiracy theorists remain isolated and largely confined to their retweet bubbles. ” Shea added.
The convergence of left-wing opponents of NATO and supporters of NATO was characterized by a unified condemnation of Russian aggression and shared democratic norms. Researchers suggest that while external threats can disrupt social divisions, echo chambers based on conspiracy theories and disinformation are resistant to even serious external threats.
Tuomas Ira Anttila, assistant professor of political science at the University of Helsinki, points out the durability of these echo chambers. “Their persistence may be due to the structure of their communication networks. People inside disinformation bubbles have minimal interaction with others and primarily encounter views that reinforce their existing beliefs.” To do.”
Ylä-Anttila further explains the phenomenon of confirmation bias, which occurs among individuals with strong and unconventional opinions. “They tend to cling to their beliefs and easily overlook viewpoints that contradict their own.”
This polarization is not limited to the NATO debate. “Understanding these disinformation bubbles is crucial for democratic decision-making. They are part of Finland’s political reality and groups that profit from them, like the Kremlin’s propaganda machine. is likely actively encouraging them,” Ira-Anttila argues.
The research team, made up of network scientists from Aalto University and political researchers from the University of Helsinki, used network-theoretic techniques to measure structural polarization in discussions, and to identify different bubbles and structures in social media conversations. automatically identified.
“Unlike survey research, this approach allows us to accurately track the development of debates over time, even retrospectively. “It was important,” he says. Mikko KivelaAssistant Professor of Computer Science at Aalto University.
The study, recently published in the European Physical Journal Data Science, highlights the evolving dynamics of political discourse on social media and provides insight into shifts in public opinion during geopolitical crises.
HT