Democracy and Information Slide Deck 4: Democracy and Information

Online Platforms The big information companies that operate online are called platforms These include search engines, like Google and Yahoo, and social media sites such as Facebook and Snapchat. Most information comes to us through online platforms Because they filter most of the information we see, platforms have come to have a lot of power

Algorithms When you search Google or look on social media, the platform has to determine what results to show you — often from millions of possible options Platforms do this through computer programs called algorithms Algorithms decide what results to display by predicting the content you’re most likely to be interested in, based on what is known about you  

Algorithms This is also called ‘personalization’ Personalization is most noticeable on recommendation engines An example of this is how Netflix suggests movies and TV shows based on what a user has watched or rated

Data Social media and search algorithms learn about users through the data they leave behind Examples of the data stored by search engines include search terms and location data Data stored by social media can include ‘likes,’ page views, and interactions This data reveals a lot about users — more than they might realize

Filter Bubbles Algorithms can be helpful, but when it comes to news and information, personalization can be controversial When users are shown information consistent with what they already like or agree with, it can create filter bubbles Filter bubbles can prevent new or challenging information from reaching people

Filter Bubbles • When people are in filter bubbles, it can make it more difficult to connect to others who like different things, or have different political views • It can also make people more likely to believe and share false news that agrees with their beliefs

Filter Bubbles & Democracy Democracy requires citizens to have a shared set of knowledge in order to make informed decisions When we are in our filter bubbles, it can become hard for us to make decisions in the best interests of society as a whole