Filter Bubble Response – Tina Zheng

From this TED talk, I learned that while the internet provides an opportunity to connect with the world around us, it also serves as a divider/veil that hinders our ability to effectively engage in civil discourse and maintain an open mind. As Eli Pariser highlights, the dark side of personalization and tailored content is that we tend to become trapped in a “filter bubble” that limits the diversity of our information intake. The more time we spend on the internet, the more we are exposed to content that is specifically catered to our personal opinions, and the more we are reinforced to believe that these opinions are correct 100% of the time (aka confirmation bias).  Our lack of control over this internet algorithm-generated process ultimately leads us down a rabbit hole of biased information exposure where we only see what we want to see; our very own personalized “firewalls.”

Oftentimes, I too find myself prone to becoming trapped in a filter bubble. Recently, however, I’ve been trying to keep a more open mind when it comes to the information I choose to trust on the internet. Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, I’ve realized how easy it is for false and inaccurate information to become widespread and popularized. Especially during times of great uncertainty and fear, people tend to actively search for information, choosing only to hear what they believe. Thus, I’ve since become more skeptical of the information I’m exposed to. Instead of blindly taking the word of the first news source I stumble upon, I try my best to push myself out of the comfort zone of my “filter bubble” to explore different viewpoints on the topic, whether or not I like what I see. Though it’s okay to have our own opinions, it is always good to maintain an open mind to other perspectives.