Back in 2011, Eli Pariser gave a TED talk on how websites are using algorithms to create a personalized internet experience, in which he called, filter bubbles. Like shown in the picture above, filter bubbles are algorithms in which websites use to filter content in and out of a user's internet usage based on what they've previously done or what they've associated themselves with. This is a controversial topic that many people believe to be intrusive and dangerous.
One of the most prominent companies to use filter bubbles is Facebook. Being one of the most popular social media websites, Facebook is where a majority of people go to find current events, or even to read news articles. It shocked me to find out that not only does Facebook admit to using filter bubbles, but also finds it acceptable due to our own "echo chambers." According to Mariella Moon, Facebook claims that users create their own "echo chambers" on their Newsfeeds because they tend to only friend people who share similar beliefs. However, they then go on to claim that they do in fact use filter bubbles, but that is okay because we also unintentionally filter our feeds based on our friend list. As a user, I can see both sides of this. I can admit, most of my Newsfeed is full of friends who have similar beliefs. In fact, I have unfriended many people because I did not enjoy seeing what they would post. However, I do not believe this warrants Facebook to control what they think what type of news I should be exposed to. Like Pariser states in his Ted Talk, I believe that should be left up to the discretion of the user, not Facebook.
Nonetheless, it is reassuring to read that Facebook is taking some measures against filter bubbling. Eliminating filtering from Trending Topics is a start. Yet, I still believe they are doing more than they say they are, especially when it comes to suggested articles and posts shown on Newsfeeds.
It is a tricky balance for sure. On the one hand we want unfiltered news. On the other, people do tend to block or "unfriend" people whose views they don't agree with. A friend of mine, a huge FB user, has lost a lot of "friends" on FB since the election. He simply shuts them off because he doesn't want to listen to them. You're right: we do filter ourselves.
ReplyDelete