On The Fence With Filter Bubbles
Ah, good ol’ filter bubbles. I’m really not sure how I feel about filter bubbles, the more I think about the use of filter bubbles from both my own perspective, as a user, and trying to understand the use of filter bubbles from social media companies’ perspective, the more I am on the fence about them in general.
On the positive side, filter bubbles are great in the sense that what I’m seeing is personalized for me and tailored to what I typically like resulting in a better user experience. Seeing advertisements on my Instagram or Facebook feed make my blood boil, but when the ads are tailored and related to what I follow, like or engage with, it makes my blood boil a *little* bit less. Even with platforms such as YouTube, as a user — the suggestions that show up on the side lead me into what I call ‘YouTube blackholes’ where I watch a music video and 6 hours later (literally) I’m watching liquid nitrogen science experiments. Although incredibly distracting, on the positive side the filtered content and suggestions have lead me to discover amazing new content, new music and artists.
But, on the negative side, I find filter bubbles can also be extremely harmful. It’s great to have personalized content right there available for you — you’re in your comfort zone, it’s comfortable and less mentally exhausting seeing cat memes than reading about opposing views or the bad things that are happening all around you. It’s healthy to have discussions, debates and learn about experiences and beliefs that don’t align with your own. But, I also don’t think it should be the sole responsibility of these social media companies to completely burst these filters.
In examining this past US Election, from a Canadian-on-social-media perspective, I find filter bubbles played a key part in why so many people were so shocked at the results. No one, on either side, seemed to want to discuss or debate in a civil manner. No one seemed to want to learn about opposing views or beliefs or understand that there are so many other individuals that are living in the rural US with complete different experiences and lifestyle. In expanding out of these bubbles, maybe most people wouldn’t have been so shocked or the results may have been different.
It’s easy to see how harmful filter bubbles can be, users should think critically about what they consume and aim to seek out to educate themselves about the whole picture and not just what they believe and are comfortable with. It’s also much easier to say than do as it requires us to be more engaging and mentally work than passively consume what we know — since everyone wants to go on social media and the Internet to be entertained and engaged. Although I’m on the fence on filter bubbles, I think it’s interesting to see what the future holds for them.
