Library:The Filter Bubble
| The Filter Bubble | |
|---|---|
| Author | Eli Pariser |
| First published | 2011 |
| ISBN | 978-1-59420-300-8 unverified |
| Role | Analysis |
| Domains | Technology & Media Politics & Elections |
| Tactics | Manipulation |
The Filter Bubble is a 2011 book by Eli Pariser.
Summary
Eli Pariser, a former executive director of the advocacy group MoveOn.org, argued in this book that personalization by internet companies was quietly narrowing what people see online.
Personalization
Pariser described how search engines and social networks tailor results based on users' past behavior, so that two people searching for the same term may see different results. He called the resulting personal information environment a "filter bubble," shaped by algorithms people cannot see and did not choose.
Concerns
Pariser argued that filter bubbles could limit exposure to challenging ideas, reinforce existing beliefs and weaken shared public discussion. He called on companies to make their filtering more transparent and on users to seek out diverse sources.
Later debate
Subsequent research has found that the effects of algorithmic filtering on exposure to diverse views are more modest than the book's warnings suggested, and that people's own choices play a large role. The term nonetheless became a lasting part of debates about social media.
Relevance to Bullshitopedia
The book helped frame public discussion of how platforms shape what people believe, and is a good companion to entries on online misinformation. The later research debate is itself a useful lesson in testing appealing ideas.
Related entries
- Cambridge Analytica's psychographic targeting swung the 2016 election
- Your phone secretly listens to your conversations to target ads
- Library:The Hype Machine