In the information age, we are more connected than ever, yet sometimes it feels like we’re only hearing the same stories. This phenomenon is caused by filter bubbles, which could be changing our views without us realizing it. An online filter bubble occurs when someone is exposed to information, opinions, and content that align with their pre-existing beliefs. Filter bubbles are formed through social media or search engine algorithms, which track what people engage with or click on and personalize content based on those preferences. Filter bubbles can provide quick access to desired information and thus give people more enjoyment from the internet and other platforms. However, a dangerously overlooked aspect of this state of isolation is the lack of exposure to opposing points of view.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Imagine you\u2019ve just become a naturalized citizen in the U.S. after immigrating from a different country and want to vote in an upcoming election. Having no prior knowledge about either candidate, you search for information about the election and click on the first few links that align with your beliefs. As the algorithm recognizes your pattern, it shows you only the news and social media posts that are similar to your initial clicks. This information, or lack thereof, leaves you isolated and hidden from any differing viewpoints, which could potentially change your mind or give you new ideas. Online filter bubbles may lead people to develop a strong cognitive bias and, thus, a habit of making irrational choices. Not to mention, one could also be exposed to false data if their algorithm is heavily polarized on one side of the spectrum of beliefs. This can happen when individuals only engage with content they agree with, even if it\u2019s not entirely accurate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Online filter bubbles have effects similar to echo chambers. Originally named after an acoustic echo chamber, where sounds repeat or echo in a hollow space, these isolated environments put individuals in situations where they keep hearing or seeing what they want and potentially distort their perception of reality. While both filter bubbles and echo chambers reinforce existing beliefs, with echo chambers, people actively seek out others who share their views, while filter bubbles are more passive and are created by algorithms. Filter bubbles may lead one to believe that their opinions are more widespread and agreed with than they actually are, which can cause them to put out inaccurate information, creating a cycle of misinformation. Another negative effect of online filter bubbles is mass polarization. By limiting the range of content an individual is exposed to, filter bubbles make it increasingly difficult for people to find common ground and agree on controversial issues. This can result in political stagnation, where an \u201cus vs. them\u201d mindset creates tensions between groups with differing views on certain policies or laws. The more polarized opinions become, the more wedge issues – political or social issues that are controversial and divisive – are brought to light, leading to social fragmentation and instability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If filter bubbles reach young kids with little experience in the world, as they partially have, the long-term effects could be detrimental to future generations. A state cut off from the media and opinions of the rest of the world, like North Korea, is an extreme example of what filter bubbles can do if not cautioned against. The concepts of international and domestic cooperation would be entirely diminished due to the extreme levels of bias that could take over the world if we are not careful about the information we expose ourselves to. To avoid filter bubbles, it’s important for society to expose itself to different viewpoints, verify information from multiple sources, and take responsibility for the information it consumes.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
AI check: <\/strong>After asking ChatGPT for improvements on my text, it mainly suggested that I should \u201cBreak down complex ideas.\u201d It\u2019s reasoning for the suggestion was that \u201cthe explanation of filter bubbles and their effects is detailed, but it’s a bit dense.\u201d I thought this note was a bit vague but I went back and separated my text into separate paragraphs to allow readers to understand my flow of ideas easily.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" In the information age, we are more connected than ever, yet sometimes it feels like we’re only hearing the same stories. This phenomenon is caused by filter bubbles, which could be changing our views without us realizing it. An online filter bubble occurs when someone is exposed to information, opinions, and content that align with […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[4,3,5],"class_list":["post-17","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-cognitive-bias","tag-filter-bubble","tag-polarization"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/soomaghodsi.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/soomaghodsi.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/soomaghodsi.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/soomaghodsi.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/soomaghodsi.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=17"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/soomaghodsi.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":260,"href":"https:\/\/soomaghodsi.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17\/revisions\/260"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/soomaghodsi.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=17"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/soomaghodsi.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=17"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/soomaghodsi.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=17"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}