Pew results on the 'Future' of Personal Politics

Of particular interest in the Pew report was 'Part 12, Politics', that indicated the respondents were divided on whether the people would use the internet to filter out opposing points of view. It would be interesting, but nearly impossible, to get data on how people use news sources on the internet. I think most thoughtful people compare multiple sources: contacts, newspapers, radio, internet, tv. How might the internet change this? It is vastly easier for people to access Ha'aretz, Xinhua, or 700Club news sources online than in print, and tv media rarely carry them. But the key, I think, to deliberate filtering behavior is distanciation: the dissolving of some social connections in a way that you can neither completely identify with nor mindlessly despise the other. It feels SAFER for people to access an opposing viewpoint through anonymous surfing than with physical talking and its possible threats. I think access of political information online allows some distance- distance to be braver and click into the opposing camp. Has anyone done this? Do you think that those who wouldn't consider opposing viewpoints in person or in other media ALSO would not consider them online? Or does the anonymity allow experimentation?