We all know that the internet is in a continual state of growth
and change. The common sentiment is that the internet has opened the
gates for increased dissemination of information; everyone and their
mother now has a blog (like this one).
This means unparalleled access to information, right? Wrong. More and more of what we are exposed to on the internet is being filtered, and it’s a filter that we have little to no control over. This is one of the biggest shifts in the internet, and this is something people should be talking about.
People do discuss paid advertising, which is filtering information served to the viewer. Many businesses have been impacted negatively or positively by increased paid advertising on Google search pages, for example. Paid search results at the top of the page and along the entire right-hand side of the page encourage people to visit paid advertisers, limiting the other search result content and its positioning.
The paid advertising filter, in my opinion, is at least transparent. My concern revolves around the “other” search engine content. Search engines like Google no longer have any regular search engine results. Every search in Google is customized for the person searching for it. Google’s algorithms calculate you in order to determine your search results, including your location, your browser, your computer, and what it knows about your web history.
What does this mean? It means that if you’re looking for shoes and live in Seattle, you’re likely to get shoe stores that are located in Seattle. Well, that’s helpful. But it also means that if you click on articles and photos relating to liberal or conservative viewpoints, your search results could categorically remove viewpoints opposing your own. It means instead of being exposed to a diverse collection of information, we could be exposed to a more and more narrow field of information…potentially without ever noticing it. This applies to events, politics, art, music, sports, and products. And it expands beyond Google.
Facebook has removed the chronological news feeds, which means that people now view Facebook posts according to importance assigned by Facebook’s algorithms. Among other things, these algorithms place weight on viewers’ previous engagement with content and advertisements. Yahoo! News also customizes which stories it displays based on information about the person visiting the site. In a TED talk, Eli Pariser describes in better detail the inherent dangers with these filters.
I know that sites are vying for attention in an internet of millions of pieces of content, which means every site needs an edge to attract visitors. I understand that some search engines and social media sites are trying to gain an edge by maximizing relevance. They’re trying to provide content that aligns with viewer interests and opinions, but they do the viewer a disservice. People will always be able to filter information for themselves, and then it is a conscious and more informed decision.
This means unparalleled access to information, right? Wrong. More and more of what we are exposed to on the internet is being filtered, and it’s a filter that we have little to no control over. This is one of the biggest shifts in the internet, and this is something people should be talking about.
People do discuss paid advertising, which is filtering information served to the viewer. Many businesses have been impacted negatively or positively by increased paid advertising on Google search pages, for example. Paid search results at the top of the page and along the entire right-hand side of the page encourage people to visit paid advertisers, limiting the other search result content and its positioning.
The paid advertising filter, in my opinion, is at least transparent. My concern revolves around the “other” search engine content. Search engines like Google no longer have any regular search engine results. Every search in Google is customized for the person searching for it. Google’s algorithms calculate you in order to determine your search results, including your location, your browser, your computer, and what it knows about your web history.
What does this mean? It means that if you’re looking for shoes and live in Seattle, you’re likely to get shoe stores that are located in Seattle. Well, that’s helpful. But it also means that if you click on articles and photos relating to liberal or conservative viewpoints, your search results could categorically remove viewpoints opposing your own. It means instead of being exposed to a diverse collection of information, we could be exposed to a more and more narrow field of information…potentially without ever noticing it. This applies to events, politics, art, music, sports, and products. And it expands beyond Google.
Facebook has removed the chronological news feeds, which means that people now view Facebook posts according to importance assigned by Facebook’s algorithms. Among other things, these algorithms place weight on viewers’ previous engagement with content and advertisements. Yahoo! News also customizes which stories it displays based on information about the person visiting the site. In a TED talk, Eli Pariser describes in better detail the inherent dangers with these filters.
I know that sites are vying for attention in an internet of millions of pieces of content, which means every site needs an edge to attract visitors. I understand that some search engines and social media sites are trying to gain an edge by maximizing relevance. They’re trying to provide content that aligns with viewer interests and opinions, but they do the viewer a disservice. People will always be able to filter information for themselves, and then it is a conscious and more informed decision.
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