Posted on 12/10/2013 3:03:33 PM PST by dirtboy
Computer scientists have discovered a way to number-crunch an individual’s own preferences to recommend content from others with opposing views. The goal? To burst the “filter bubble” that surrounds us with people we like and content that we agree with.
The term “filter bubble” entered the public domain back in 2011when the internet activist Eli Pariser coined it to refer to the way recommendation engines shield people from certain aspects of the real world.
Pariser used the example of two people who googled the term “BP”. One received links to investment news about BP while the other received links to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, presumably as a result of some recommendation algorithm.
This is an insidious problem. Much social research shows that people prefer to receive information that they agree with instead of information that challenges their beliefs. This problem is compounded when social networks recommend content based on what users already like and on what people similar to them also like.
This is the filter bubble—being surrounded only by people you like and content that you agree with.
And the danger is that it can polarise populations creating potentially harmful divisions in society.
(Excerpt) Read more at technologyreview.com ...
I have purposefully expurgated those communist sympathizers in my life and am much happier for it. Now I have some jackass telling me I need to get more of that crap in my search engine requests...No thanks
The problem with planning to burst the filter bubble is that it will probably weight majority opinion and “official” sources, so conservatives get more liberal news while little changes for liberals.
Yeah, right.
I had a young relative un-friend me on Facebook because I challenged his apples-and-oranges approach to gun control talking points.
The problem with a bubble chamber stems from people who are allergic to factual debate. They loathe any attempt to integrate facts and it matters not how the inconvenient facts are delivered. They will be decried and spit upon and chased away.
So what they are saying is that if you're a conservative we are going to inundate you with liberal voices. If you're a liberal you've already got your mind right and we will support that bubble.
I don’t need a computer program for that.
If someone can rationally explain why communism or whatever is great, I’ll listen. That doesn’t mean I’ll be convinced.
And the danger is that it can polarise populations creating potentially harmful divisions in society.
Sounds like liberalism.
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That's my guess.
There is a danger of being in a filter bubble. I’ve thought the same thing myself, before - although I didn’t use the term “filter bubble”. On the Internet, there exists just about every opinion ever expressed. And I’ve noticed that when searching - people will search for supporters of their own position. Thus, that’s all they ever read or consider.
It is important, when maintaining one’s own position to be familiar with the opposing side’s arguments. In fact, many times when coming across a new issue or a new idea - I will purposely seek out the opposing viewpoints, just so I can see if I’ve been missing anything. And from looking at the opposing arguments, I also get to see how strong those arguments are.
The Internet does promote filter bubbles and a fractured society.
Interacting on the drive-by media sites is a no-return proposition. No matter how polite, well researched, and factually accurate you are with some of these idiots, they simply degenerate into foaming at the mouth lunatics.
Mostly because they are not as well informed, and cannot accept the idea that what they believe is by all empirical evidence a recipe for failure. In their minds you are a blasphemer and must be silenced.
Bingo
So, the proposal is for sort of an anti-google, a search engine that deliberately distorts your world by showing you stuff you DON’T want to see? Obama can issue an executive order to force search engines to maintain a political profile on each person and mandate stuff they are allowed to see and that which is prohibited to them because of their political index.
After all, it’s not enough that the mainstream media already has those political filters in place, though they’ve somewhat simplified the equation by showing only the Kommie viewpoint to every one and pretty much ignoring that a conservative viewpoint exists. So now, the proposal is to further limit what conservatives are allowed to see by installing “Progressive” filters on Internet access. Oh sure, we’ll pretend like Progressives are made to see some conservative stuff too, you know, to be “fair”, but wink wink, not really.
I like it. Very 1984ish.
I don’t filter anything. I evaluate things and I have found no value in left winger insanity therefore there is no need to evaluate it further.
When the “opposing views” are 100% idiot level bullcrap, why would I want to go exploring them?
I think that Stephen Covey had a great way to discuss opposing issues with someone. You flip a coin to see who goes first. The first person can not express anything about their opinion until they have explained the other person’s position satisfactorily to the other person. Very powerful. Try it with a pro-abortion person.
Ditto, did the same thing right after telling them "If I wanted your opinion, I'd give it to you!"
Quickly followed by a slam of the door hitting them in their backside.
The term “filter bubble” entered the public domain back in 2011 when the internet activist Eli Pariser coined it.... used the example of two people who googled the term “BP”. One received links to investment news about BP while the other received links to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, presumably as a result of some recommendation algorithm. This is an insidious problem. Much social research shows that people prefer to receive information that they agree with instead of information that challenges their beliefs. This problem is compounded when social networks recommend content based on what users already like and on what people similar to them also like.IOW, the leftist shills and drones who own all the high-traffic sites can't abide the fact that there is any other point of view.
We live in a world where 99% of movies have a liberal slant, 98% of newspapers and around the same percent of magazines... Conservatives swim in a liberal sea. The last thing we need it more of their propaganda.
The only ones protected from opposing views are leftists. When they hear something from an opposing view they freeze, their eyes get big, their face starts turning redder and redder until they blow up and start screaming “racist, sexist, homophobe!..” with spittle flying from their fervent gesticulations. They become enraged when they learn other views actually exist.
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