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Wednesday, October 30, 2013

filter bubbles

26 comments:

  1. Replies
    1. This video is a TED talk on "Filter Bubbles"-- if you can't see it, look it up on YouTube. Check the 10.31 agenda for instructions.

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  2. After watching this video I was very shocked yet amazed that this speaker was able to understand the little details such as what type of computer you are using, your location,etc. are all crucial information to online services/search engines for they can already market something to you within your "interest" range and most of us fall for it every single day not having a clue.
    With all of this said, it really makes me wonder if social networks such as Facebook, Twitter,etc. know the definition of unity and what they feed us is anything BUT that for we all are being "filtered" differently. How are we ever going to be on the same page in regards to what's truly happening in the world if all the information we perceive is different? How will we ever know what is fact and what is complete crap put in front of us just to shut us up?
    To find a neutral search engine such as Duck Duck Go, can and will help someone looking to choose what THEY want to see for it does not keep a record of what you search for the most unlike Google, Firefox,etc.

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  3. After watching the video I learned that the internet really does a lot more than it says it does. It was shocking how invasive they can be, but it is amazing the lengths they go to to improve efficiency and overall satisfaction.
    This has changed the way I look at information because now I see it more as the internet showing what they think I want to look at, instead of simply opening up the world. I feel like I'm being used whenever I go on to the internet and that my thoughts are a product I'm selling for free. I don't want a filtered world, I want an open one for what it really is.
    This video raises questions like, "Just how much do they really know?" and, "What makes my searches so important.? Why are mine just like all the others?".
    I agree with Loren's method of improving my searches by choosing search engines that only give me the information I search for. I don't want to be cataloged and put under a category as another oblivious "consumer". I want to be a consumer, using a free service for what it really is: an open door to the world.

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  4. a) I learned what filter bubbles are and that you only see what google or other companies think you want to see
    b) It proves to me that you only see a sliver of what you want to see or a sliver of what you could possibly see
    c) Why should anything be filtered in the first place some would call it censorship
    d) Using better search engines

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  5. Prior to watching the video, I already knew that nearly everything that happens on the Internet is being monitored and databased. This blatant compromise of personal privacy is so appalling that, sadly enough, I am not the least bit surprised to learn that such information is now being used to meddle with our search results. Fortunately, Eli Pariser decided to take a stand at TED and bring awareness to this problem. I can only hope that the perpetrators (Google, FaceBook, etc.) will listen and restore the integrity that they have taken away from the Internet. Pariser's speech definitely left me with a different outlook on the Internet. I had always viewed the Internet as an expansive, diverse pool of information, available to anyone at anytime. Now that this officious filtering has corrupted even the most basic search processes, however, one is forced to question the veracity of his/her findings whilst surfing the web. Although I strongly oppose any form of filtering or censorship, this honestly doesn't affect me too much. I don't often find myself browsing the Internet without a clear objective. When I do wish to search in broader terms, however, I use the "Duck Duck Go" search engine that Dr. Preston told us about a few weeks ago to avoid any unwanted inference with my results.

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  6. So im pretty sure you showed us this video last year, so it more more of a refresher on what filterbubbles are. And also im a little upset about how they work,i think im going to start using duckduckgo more often especially when im researching something.

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  7. Before this video clip I already knew that the search engines that I used monitored what I searched to make it easier for me to find what I was looking for. What I didn't know was how much variation there would be when two separate users would find when they searched for the same subject. In order to remove the filtering and improve my web searches I will use "Duck Duck Go" that Dr. Preston recommended in the classroom a few weeks ago.

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  8. I didn't learn anything that I didn't already know. We scratched the surface of this last year so I already knew about filter bubbles. This makes me feel like I'm not getting the best possible information when I search the web. I know that Youtube has filter bubbles and after learning about what videos you like it lists videos similar to those. Knowing this makes me wonder what these "internet profiles" are being used for. There's really nothing I can do to improve my searching effectiveness, I just have to deal with it.

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  9. a)What new information did you learn from the video?
    -everyone sees something different when they search for the same thing and that the Internet doesn't really open doors for you, it just leads you to a place you will feel comfortable.
    b)How does this information make you think differently about what you see online?
    -there is more to what is being presented to me
    c)What questions does this video raise about the Internet in general?
    -how can I get all the different points of view that are out there?
    d)How can you improve the effectiveness of your searches?
    -by focusing on a different point of view

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  10. I learned that the internet doesn't open up new windows that it only limits us to what it thinks we are comfortable with which was quite shocking to find out. I now feel that the internet it cutting us short and not giving us the options that could be useful. My big question toward this is why not give us more options than only giving us limited resources because isn't that what the internet is made for? Having a wide variety of websites to choose from and to look at. And im not quite sure how to improve my effectiveness of my searches maybe wording it differently.

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  11. A) The new information that i learned from this video was that google and other major internet sites were personalizing your searches and what you were seeing while using the internet.
    B) This information bothers me because i never noticed it before, but knowing that the internet has this much insight to what you are doing online really makes you think about how you use the internet.
    C) The question that popped into my mind while watching the video was, if the internet has this much intelligence to personalize all of your searches, what else is it going to be able to do in the future?
    D) When i saw the video, i deleted the google app off of my phone and got the app "Duck Duck Go", because i like that it doesnt have a history of the sites you visit and you can really get a good use out of the internet instead of it giving you what it thinks you want.

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  12. After watching the Ted talk I learned that the Internet doesn't expose the user to new ideas and perspectives. The search engine supplies the user with results similar to the previous searches they've already done. There are test reports to support this theory. People have searched the same topic/thing and have had different results. This causes a sense of isolation between different countries around the world. This information is an eye opener to how I'm so ignorant on the current events happening in different parts of the world. Will the internet ever fix and/or improve this. I can Improve the effectiveness of my searches by using the website you provided us, duckduckgo.

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  13. a) This was my first time being exposed to the idea of filter bubbles and I was surprised by a few things. Although I already knew that google and other search engines would keep a history on you but I didn't know that they completely personalized your computer.
    b) Even though I do not like the idea of having my computer personalized without me knowing I'd have to say I do think more about the internet. I always thought that I made smart decisions on the internet but even when I think I do there's still things that happen and I can't really control. There really is no privacy anywhere on the internet.
    c) I am one who tends to think about the future a lot, so after hearing about what search engines do I'm wondering if people would really change their ways. I mean people know what fast food does to them but they still eat it. Same concept here, will they really change their ways?
    d) How I could improve my searches is by using DuckDuckGo since it does not save anything, but will I effectively use it? That's another question.

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  14. We are being tailored to what an algorithmic computer program thinks we want to see. I wouldn't say that this concept is new to me but the TED talk was certainly the first time I have seen any in depth explanation of it. I am not one to fret about something like this, but I do understand why the speaker is hesitant to trust these programs. Why am I to be mad that my computer is showing me something I want to see? This is my perspective on the whole thing but I understand the points addressed in the video. I am not sure what the speaker wants, maybe a switch that can toggle this program on/off of your computer search? I guess this raises the question of how far will the internet go. We already know what the federal government has access to and nobody seems to be doing much to stop it. Technology is ever growing and I think we as humans will have to make fundamental changes to what we believe is right in order to allow this growth. The internet is a place where everyone should feel comfortable, but many do not. I believe my searches are effective enough and I don't see any reason to change my habits. I have never spent more than a minute looking for what I want on a Google search. You know what they say, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it".

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  15. I learned a different perspective on Google and the internet itself. I really did not think much into it but yes it has crossed my mind about how technology master minds us humans through web. Now that I understand more of how TED talks' have introduced me to this type of knowledge, I have no secrets, nothing is personal, space is invaded through web! The internet should be questioned and maybe a meeting with the founders on how to make it less robot controlling like. I'm going to start searching through duckduckgo.com!!!!!!!!! A research tool on the web where it's not like Google and profiles you by what you click, what browser is being use, and where your sitting position is.

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  16. I always sort of new that the internet knew the things you like and the things you search and click on, but some of things i didn't know was that more and more websites are using this type of algorithm to use people as the product. When I started buying things on amazon and it saw the things on searched for and bought, amazon started showing me advertisements on YouTube on things I've searched. I didn't realize that they were using this algorithm to use me as a product. As the internet uses this methods, it worries me that this will only show me things that it thinks that I like but not show me the things that are important to see. I think that is you make your searches more specific rather than a general topic, it will search for those key word and maybe it can give me the result I' looking for.

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  17. It has always been on the back on my mind that the information I get from google can't possibly be all of the information that is out there. Now I know for certain that this is true. The thing that astonished me the most though was the fact that other websites are also using 'filter bubbles'. Indeed this will isolate us in whats so called a 'virtual bubble'. Which is why I think 'filter bubbles' are a problem. The world needs to see the big picture not just part of it. Now that I know I will only be getting partial information for the things I search up, I would not be able to hide the fact that there is so much more info out there. My big question is, will google do anything to improve this matter or will it just stay as it is right now? And if they do improve it, how? The best way to improve your effectiveness of your searches is to use anonymous search engines like duckduckgo.com or ixquick.com.

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  18. Honestly , I already knew that Google did this. I knew that they personalized the results based on what you usually click on only beacause my brother and I have talked about it. What I didnt know was that other websites such as Yahoo are doing it to. I think that many different results should come up just so that you can get different perspectives . They way it changed my thinking about the inyernet is that now I will be more carefull I guess . I mean i don't look up bad things or anything but I will try to click on different links . Honestly, Im jus going to use duckduckgo.com from now on because like I said , I want different views and thats exactly what that website does. Honestly , im just going to do everything differently now, but I want to use the internet as little as possible just beacuse I feel like it has become such a distraction.

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  19. A) This was the very first time I learned that the bigger companies are trying to just make tehmselves money instead of trying to introduce people to the whole world around them.
    B) This subject makes me see differently because I do not want other people or "computers" to tell me what to do or see with myself.
    C) I feel that these bigger companies are hiding much different things from the everyday user which is why something must come forward to stop these acts only if we want to interract with people around the world.
    D) I can change the search engine that I am currently using to DuckDuckGoose.com (a website which does not document your previous search)

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  20. Well I learned from this video that Fahrenheit 451 is actually happening but instead of erasing the information they are just making it blind to us, (different method but same effect.) Now I'm unsure of what I am actually being told by the internet EVEN MORE! I guess to me the biggest question right now is when will it be too much, or when will these filter bubbles seas to advance. The best thing to better your searches is to use sites like Duck Duck Go , which do not personalize your preferences in what you might be more interested to know.

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  21. In the video. I actually already knew that those online company's sold our information. And that it just gave you information that was close to other researches you have had. sometimes irrelavent. this video does make me feel kind of un-important. in the sense that everything is chosen for me. i kind of wish that it would just give me some of the exact search i was looking for. it does make me think of what other sites other than google and facebook and myspace. is there a way for me to block them giving my information or is it apart of the agreement that you aggree to in the beging of signing up or using these websites. i can be more cautious of what i look up to fix my suggested searches. cause nothing is more annoying then not finding what you are looking for.

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  22. Can you post a link to the youtube video. Since it's not showing up here for me?

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  23. I learned that websites and social sites are limiting what we view and what others view. A filter bubble is basically controlling what you view because they're trying to guess who you are and personalize it to what you do. It kind of upsets me because it limits me on the information that I see and read and I like reading and being informed on things. I also believe that its really not necessary to personalize what people read. I'm just going to start using duckduckgo.com because Preston said it doesn't just give you a small percentage of information but all the info.

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  24. I did learn that search results may not only include relevant information to you, it also excludes some information it thinks you may not want. This type of control has to make you wonder if everything you see is to be taken as it appears. It's not easy to just say what you want, some people may not see it at all. I would question the reasons behind these moves and what we can do to bring important, not just relevant, information back to the forefront. To get the most out of your search, use engines that don't change over time due to use, use engines that don't limit or subtract for the internet.

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  25. I already knew this from my experience on the internet. None of this is new for me. This makes people know that they are not in control of what they search for. Everything is personalized which may seem good but down under it's not. Not everybody will be able to get the same information of the internet thanks to these filter bubbles which makes the internet seem redundant. The internet was made to give everybody the same information as the next person and being able to connect to everybody (excluding different government restrictions on internet use). In order to have that intended goal they need to reduce the affect of filter bubbles like have an option to when we want related searches or not. In order to give us that control. In the meantime we can use search engines that do not keep a history to give us a broader view of results.

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