On the Design of Public Debate in Social Networks

Abstract

How to Avoid Polarization in Social Networks In order to facilitate social interactions and the design of deliberative and efficient institutions, a social planner should ensure that diverse opinions can be sustained and debated and ensuring social cohesion. Grabisch et al. provide a theory of the efficient design of public debate. They develop a model of the coevolution of opinions and social relations that allow them to frame this problem in a formal setting. This model of opinion dynamics accounts for the persistence of heterogeneous opinions in society (“strong diversity”) and the dynamic interactions between opinions and social connections. The social planner faces a trade-off between fostering the convergence of opinions in society and increasing the risk of polarization and instability. To resolve this trade-off, the social planner must account for both structural and behavioral characteristics: how fragile is the social network and to what extent individuals tolerate disagreement with their peers.