What Is Gatekeeping?

What is Gatekeeping?

In communications, there are several communication theories that one must have an idea about. Gatekeeping is one of them. This is the process of selecting, and then filtering, items of media that can be consumed within the time or space than an individuals happens to have. This communication theory falls into the role of surveillance and monitoring data. The decisions made by those that are gatekeepers are done every day in order to determine what is relevant and what an audience will see.

In gatekeeping there is something we refer to as the information gate. This refers to what information will move on to a particular audience. The role of a gatekeeper is to decide what will pass through this gate based on their knowledge and expertise. Gatekeeping is also sometimes referred to as those who are data decision makers who control information flow to an entire social system. You become a gatekeeper when you are a pro in a particular topic, and have the knowledge to know when something is relevant to that topic or not. They allow information to reach audiences based on their personal expertise, experience in the professional world, social influence, and personal biases.

With gatekeeping comes advantages and disadvantages. Gatekeeping is considered an advantage because it filters out information that is not relevant or pertinent to audiences. In other words, it allows information to be straight to the point on a topic and does not waste an audiences time with information that isn't necessary. This communication theory is also thought of as a good thing because gatekeepers are supposed to be educated people that we can trust to have correct and factual information.

A disadvantage of gatekeeping is the fact that you are only getting information from one source as opposed to many different sources. Although gatekeepers are typically knowledgeable, they also filter out information according to their own personal bias. This can become an issue when an audience relies too much on one persons information and bias. It closes them off from opposing sides and different arguments that can be used to create a bigger picture.

As a whole, gatekeeping affect society by having the power to sometimes have an influence on policies and procedures, playing the role of watchdog within society, or simply playing onto the audiences conformation bias. Confirmation bias refers to the idea that when people would like a certain idea or concept to be true, they end up believing it to be true. The view of audiences in society are affected. Gatekeepers can change the priority of news, causing influence in society like racism, sexism, classism, etc. This can lead to an inconsistent dissemination of information against certain groups, causing even more of a divide.

In my personal opinion, it is very hard to make an informed decision or have an informed belief if you don't know information on all sides of an argument. Gatekeeping has contributed to a society even more polarized and unwilling to reason with those that they may disagree with. 

https://masscommtheory.com/theory-overviews/gatekeeping-theory/
https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-a-confirmation-bias-2795024