Filter Bubbles

## Overview

There are no physical borders on the Internet , however, in terms of searching there are search engines who collect and sort our data to personalize information for us. These algorithms that give users personalized search results and newsfeeds are known as Filter Bubbles. [3]

Filter Bubble entered the public domain in 2011 when internet activist {{#NewWindowLink: http://www.thefilterbubble.com/about-eli | Eli Pariser}} coined it to refer to the way recommendation engines shield people from certain aspects of the real world. Say, for example, two seperate people search certain words and they will yield different results because of the way these engines track their previous searches  and history.

Filter Bubbles can be seen apparent on social networking sites , like Facebook and Twitter. These social networking sites are personalized news services that yield search results based on the individual's interest. [2]

## Problems with Filter Bubbles

Shielding Users: Social research shows that people do actually like to receive information that they agree with instead of information that challenges their beliefs. Eli Pariser sees this as a potential problem because social networks will reccommend content based on what users are already interested in, shielding them from other real-life problems.

   Not Learning New Things: Another problem with filter bubbles is that they filter searches  so the user sees exactly what they want (almost). This means they will be filtered through all of the challenging, tough and confusing ideas that may help users learn new things. [2]

## How to "Pop" Your Filter Bubble (according to thefilterbubble.com)

1. Burn Your Cookies

* {{#NewWindowLink: https://www.google.com/chrome/ | Chrome}} , go to Preferences > Under the Hood > Content Settings (You can also see all the cookies on your machine here.)
* {{#NewWindowLink: https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/new/ | Firefox}} : Preferences > Privacy > Use custom settings for history
* {{#NewWindowLink: https://www.apple.com/safari/ | Safari}} : Preferences > Security
* {{#NewWindowLink: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/internet-explorer/download-ie | Internet Explorer}} : Internet options > Privacy

2. Erase Your Web  History

* If you're logged into Google, they track this information (the list could be years long)

3.Tell Facebook  to Keep Your Data Private

* Never tell Facebook anything you don't want your the whole Web  to know about you

4. It's your Birthday, and You Can Hide It If You Want To

5. Turn off Targeted Ads , and tell the Talking Sneakers to Buzz

* Install Google's 'Keep My Opt-Outs' extension for Chrome
* Enable IE9's 'Tracking Protection' option
* Enable Firefox's 'Do Not Track' option

6. Go Incognito

7. Or Better Yet, Go Anonymous

8. Depersonalize Your Web Browser

9. Tell Google  and Facebook to Make It Easier to See and Control Your Filters

10. Tell Congress You Care

Write Congress here:
* {{#NewWindowLink: https://writerep.house.gov/writerep/welcome.shtml | House}}
* {{#NewWindowLink: http://www.senate.gov/general/contact\_information/senators\_cfm.cfm | Senate}}

[4]

## Sources

1. Eli Pariser: Beware online "filter bubbles" (2011, May 2). Retrieved April 5, 2015, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B8ofWFx525s
2. Bell, M. (2011, May 20). Eli Pariser and the threat of the filter bubbles. Retrieved April 5, 2015, from http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/post/eli-pariser-and-the-threat-of-the-filter-bubbles/2011/05/16/AFkJj74G\_blog.htm
3. Nig, R. (2014). Society of the query reader: Reflections on web search. Amsterdam: Inst. of Network Cultures.
4. 10 Ways to Pop your Filter Bubble. (n.d.). Retrieved April 5, 2015, from http://www.thefilterbubble.com/10-things-you-can-do
5. Escape your Search Engine's filter bubble. (n.d.). Retrieved April 5, 2015, from http://dontbubble.us/