# Echo Chambers
An echo chamber is an environment where a person only encounters information or opinions that reflect and reinforce their own. ^8llu2t
Being in an echo chamber increases the likelihood of [[Confirmation Bias]] because one is surrounded by like-minded people, making it easier to dismiss or ignore information that contradicts one's beliefs. ^y7nw8z
![[Yes, Social Media Really Is Undermining Democracy#^f07ipb]]
If you rarely (if ever) encounter opposing views, you don’t get the chance to question your own assumptions. Without that friction, potentially wrong beliefs go unchallenged.
![[On Liberty#^cessbw]]
[[Echo Chambers Cause Polarization]]
## Echo Chambers in the Age of Social Media
In the age of [[Social Media]], echo chambers have become increasingly prevalent because [[Social Media Platforms Are Echo Chambers by Design]].
The term 'echo chamber' predates social media. What social media did was supercharge the phenomenon using recommendation algorithms that maximize engagement, creating echo chambers in the process.