03: Filter Bubbles and Losing Control

Since the beginning of the Internet privacy has been an ongoing issue, as it should be, because technologies are evolving and adapting so quickly I feel privacy will continue to be a main topic when it comes to interacting with the web.

  

Eli Pariser gives a fantastic TED talk on whether or not websites are dancing on the boundary of filtering the content that they present to us. I think Pariser makes a great argument that we must take percussions for the future of the Internet to not be as Pariser puts it, “a web of one”. Where we don’t only see filtered information tailored to us personally that companies think we want to see, but also the important information that we need and should be seeing to give us a balanced perspective of what is out in the world.

The idea of being “always connected” is truer today than it has ever been in history. With push-notifications to our cell phones telling us everything from what a friend just posted on Facebook, to reminders to pay your bills, even when you should log back into your favorite video game like Candy Crush or Clash of Clans. This all comes back to the argument of where do we draw the line on privacy and how far do we take personalization.

A large part is on the companies coming up with these algorithms to try and filter the enormous amounts of data out there to our needs. Companies like Google and Facebook are of course the big ones in the public spot light, however, I have to believe that they are always working to address the filter balance. I think a great representation of this is the movie The Internship. Where Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn are outdated salesmen trying to get hired at Google but are technologically illiterate. What I love is how they are portrayed and succeed, while they are not always connected online like all the other interns, they do have a deep connection to people. I believe that this personal connection with people is being lost with personalization and that for us to have a truly great internet that we need to have that playfulness of free flowing ideas and interactions.

            Companies like Google can’t be the only ones to blame however, we as consumers are a large contributing factor. With my generations culture looking for media to make our daily lives more fun, productive, and fast paced we almost require that our information be filtered to our personal needs. For example I won’t walk to class without listening to music, I just won’t do it; I think to myself, wow, I could be having a conversation with a nearby friend instead of listening to this Pandora station which also happens to be filtered to my preferences.

            What I will conclude is this: Pariser’s TED talk has many valid points and are without a doubt a reality that we all must acknowledge for what they are but I do not think the weight is all on internet companies. I believe that if we want more transparency not only on the Internet but also in our own lives that we must demand from ourselves more exploration and openness. I will leave you with another clip from The Internship purely because I love how Owen and Vince connect with people and get ideas flowing in a team environment.