"A filter bubble is the intellectual isolation that can occur when websites make use of algorithms to selectively assume the information a user would want to see, and then give information to the user according to this assumption. Websites make these assumptions based on the information related to the user, such as former click behavior, browsing history, search history and location" (Techopedia).
When you type in a keyword to a search engine they are there to give you personally hand picked sites that match sites that are similar to your past searches. Filter bubbles are all about personalizing a search to meet a certain person's wants and needs. Sometimes however they can be negative. In a TED Talk video about filter bubbles, Eli Pariser points out how he had two friends look up Egypt in a search and showed how different their searches appeared to be (Pariser). The problem with filter bubbles are you do not have a choice in whether or not you want them to be activated. They are just there waiting to assist you in your search.
I have noticed the filter bubble with my own searches. Since I like looking up information on a whim I like broad opinions on topics to get a feel for what I am looking for. The problem is that the filter bubble thinks I only want one side of information on a specific topic. For example, I was trying to look up alternative religious movements for a paper and it kept popping up what is bad about them, not what the particular movement is about like I wanted. This can be deterring if one is trying to do research papers.
Another instance where I saw filter bubbles at their finest was today. I wanted to show my professor an article from the web. I had used a computer from my work the first time and it popped right up. When I was using a computer she was logged in it took three different searches to locate the article I wanted to show her. It was a pain, and it shows how personalizing search engines can make it frustrating for a searcher on a broad number of topics.
Filter bubbles have their advantages. For one it is a search that is personalized of past searches. They give us what we want to see. It is quick and efficient. They are crafted to allow sites to our preferred tastes to pop up on our screens instead of ones we would not agree with.
The disadvantages can be numerous for scholars, or people who want to learn about a topic. One reason the filter bubbles can be a problem is they do not show everything about a topic. Filter bubbles are very biased for searchers. Another problem is people do not know about filter bubbles because they are not asked if they want them. They take away from the learning process, and make people think they are seeing everything about a topic, but in reality they are only seeing what the search algorithm thinks is appropriate for us to see.
Filter bubbles can be seen as fantastic and destructive. People need to be aware of them so they know how to get around them, as well as look out for bias information when using the same browser over and over again. Watch what pops up on your screen, and see if it is really what you want, or if it is what the search engine thinks you want. You may love a filter bubble in one instance, and hate it in another.
Citations:
Eli Pariser: Beware Online "filter Bubbles" Perf. Eli Pariser. TED Talks, 2011. YouTube Video.
"Filter Bubble." Techopedia. Techopedia Inc., 2016. Web. 6 Apr. 2016. <https://www.techopedia.com/definition/28556/filter-bubble>.
