Do Upvotes Show Democracy's Flaws? | Idea Channel | PBS Digital Studios

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Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/donateidea Tweet us! http://bit.ly/pbsideachanneltwitter Idea Channel Facebook! http://bit.ly/pbsideachannelfacebook Talk about this episode on reddit! http://bit.ly/pbsideachannelreddit Idea Channel IRC! http://bit.ly/pbsideachannelirc Email us! pbsideachannel [at] gmail [dot] com Today's episode has been sponsored by Squarespace. For more information, visit http://www.Squarespace.com/ideachannel Are upvotes democratic? Supposedly, YikYak is a democratic social network, following the lead of forums like reddit that use upvoting as "community sourced decisions." The IDEA behind both is that compelling, unique posts will float to the top, and weak ones will sink to the bottom. Reddit is a democracy! Much like The United States. HOWEVER, in both cases, the notion of true democracy may well be an illusion! Does seeing upvotes promote more upvotes? Does provocative content beget more provocative content? Is all content created equal? Watch this episode of PBS Idea Channel with Mike Rugnetta and find out! ~~ Sources http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/09/technology/popular-yik-yak-app-confers-anonymity-and-delivers-abuse.html?_r=0 http://www.sciencemag.org/content/341/6146/647.abstract http://thenewinquiry.com/essays/very-serious-populists/ ~~ Asset Links: 1:00 Constitutional Compromises: Crash Course Government and Politics #5 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kCCmuftyj8A 1:04 Farewell - The YouTube Nation Finale https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ShXkKA6e9-s 3:05 http://www.dudelol.com/throw-ya-signs-up/ 3:24 http://art.alphacoders.com/by_sub_category/195168 6:55 http://educationvotes.nea.org/2013/06/18/2013-nea-political-activist-of-the-year-finalist-wisconsins-colleen-robson/ 7:21 http://peeringthrough.blogspot.com/ ~~ Comment Links: darthboolean http://www.reddit.com/r/pbsideachannel/comments/2ziizw/are_comic_book_charactures_like_dd_players/cpj9d97 ArdentDrops http://www.reddit.com/r/pbsideachannel/comments/2ziizw/are_comic_book_charactures_like_dd_players/cpjgklx Makutakanuva https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6yzFQw5aRWo&lc=z13ezp0jewzwwdeq204cchbhrunlvzrodf4 Kayla Haffley https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6yzFQw5aRWo&lc=z13zvbwhnzvaxpyhq04ccl34apmretijd1c Merav Ulyansky https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6yzFQw5aRWo&lc=z12xxtizxlilgrjwp04cebjbqza4yrdbqow0k Dudu Maroja https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6yzFQw5aRWo&lc=z13hvl5j4pajt3vfa23gyfcyyra0tjclc ~~ Ship us stuff: Thanks to everyone who sent us records! Our mailbox is now closed and we are no longer accepting submissions. MUSIC: "Europe" by Roglok (http://www.roglok.net) "Level 5" by Room for the Homeless (http://bit.ly/10N0Ykm) "Bouncy Castle" by Roglok (http://www.roglok.net) ":P" by Roglok (http://www.roglok.net) "Squarehead" by Roglok (http://www.roglok.net) "Number Cruncher" by Roglok (http://www.roglok.net) "Little Birthday Acid" by Roglok (http://www.roglok.net) "Topskore" by Roglok (http://www.roglok.net) "Anti Vanishing Spray" by Roglok (http://www.roglok.net) "Tarty Prash" by Roglok (http://www.roglok.net) "Carry on Carillon" by Roglok (http://www.roglok.net) "Uptown Tennis Club" by Roglok (http://www.roglok.net) "Squarehead" by Roglok (http://www.roglok.net) "Dream Of Autumn" by Night Shift Master https://soundcloud.com/dj-darkmatter- "Insert Toy For Coin" by Eatme (http://eatme.pro/music/) "Dizor" by Outsider https://www.jamendo.com/en/artist/440 "Lets go back to the rock" by Outsider https://www.jamendo.com/en/artist/440 "Something like this" by Outsider https://www.jamendo.com/en/artist/440 ~~ Written and hosted by Mike Rugnetta (@mikerugnetta) (who also has a podcast! Reasonably Sound: http://bit.ly/1sCn0BF) Made by Kornhaber Brown (http://www.kornhaberbrown.com)