When Did the Online MS Conversation Become an Echo Chamber?

If there is one thing to be learned from last year’s global political tumbles, it’s that an ever-growing portion of the populace is getting its information from an ever-shrinking number of sources. Back when I had long flights to fill and a laptop with a short battery life, I’d read three and four newspapers every day. I didn’t read the whole paper, but I’d read national, regional, and local takes (often different local takes every day) on events in the day’s news. I’d also have the opportunity to listen to local radio in a number of media markets every week, as well as tune in to late-night news before turning in at one airport hotel or another. I felt like I was well informed and that my opinions were, too. The Early Days of Online MS Information When I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) in 2001, there weren’t yet many places on the web to get information about the disease. But what I did find was well researched, fairly reliable, and quite helpful to my newly diagnosed mind. Now there are nearly as many MS websites as there are people with the disease: a channel for every taste, an echo for every opinion. I suppose that I must admit that I have become the curator of such an echo chamber myself. We’ve been at this Life With Multiple Sclerosis blog since before there really was social media. Back in 2006, when we started, this was one of the few places people could go to get unofficial information. It was a place of considered opinions and regurgit...
Source: Life with MS - Category: Neurology Authors: Tags: multiple sclerosis community Everyday Health life with MS Living with MS ms community MS doctors MS in the news Social Media trevis gleason Source Type: blogs