Whilst trying to develop an idea suitable for assignment #2 small scale-project, I started to stumble upon how the Internet or Online space means different things to different people. My research started to become an engaging epiphany when I came across a TEDTalk by Eli Pariser about Filter Bubbles.

Just like how Manovich’s ‘Language of New Media’ described the idea of customisation of content in ‘New Media’, Pariser calls it living in a ‘filter bubble‘.

For his perception of a ‘filter bubble’ means living in a completely and utterly personalised universe of information. He believes that being in your perspective ‘filter bubble’ restricts you to acquire other points of view or information that are unreliable to you but, is realistically crucial. ‘Filter bubbles’ then function in a way that only reinforces your views. Therefore, I find this an incredibly pivotal source of knowledge to remember especially, when it comes to obtaining the ‘right’ news or political views which, concerns real-life events.

Due to the new ways that we have of obtaining news through social media, people are often provided with the news that they want to know instead of news that they need to know because of ‘filter bubbles’ and/or customisation of content on the Internet. Since the Internet presents a large scale and magnitude of various information, ‘filter bubbles’ restrict the amount of information we could obtain. It is a website algorithm that tailors content for its users based on their personal information like location, past click behaviour and searches history. Thus, when we utilise online search, it provides information that is personalised.

 

 

 

 

REFERENCES:

Beware online “filter bubbles” Eli Pariser, YouTube, TED, viewed 20 March 2018, <https://youtu.be/B8ofWFx525s>.