Should We Worry About Filter Bubbles?

With so much research available on the existence of filter bubbles, it can be exhausting trying to sort through the arguments. But the current literature does suggest that they do exist. A central article on this topic gives a critical analysis of available literature on filter bubbles and evaluates their existence. Spohr initially set out…

Bubbles and Brexit

A significant worry some people have about filter bubbles is whether they can affect the way people vote. The most concern comes during election periods and other major events that contribute to democracy. One such event was the Brexit vote in the UK. During the build-up to the referendum, there was heavy campaigning from both…

Bubbles, Bubbles, Everywhere

Numerous articles argue filter bubbles do exist. But there is almost the same number claiming filter bubbles are nothing but a bad dream. How do we know what the truth is? A study conducted by Flaxman et al. examined the web browsing patterns of 50,000 US internet users over three months. It showed that articles…

Unfollow, Unfriend, Delete, Repeat

When it comes to voting in today’s society, a lot of people look for information about the candidates online. But how do we know if the information we’re seeing is accurate? For democracy to work effectively, everyone needs to be equally informed. Filter bubbles distort how we see vital information which can have a detrimental…

BreLeave in Brexit?

Unless you’ve avoided all forms of social media over the last two years, you’ve probably heard of the United Kingdom’s decision to leave the European Union – aptly dubbed ‘Brexit’. The political climate of the UK has been highly publicised since the referendum was announced, and many politicians including Prime Minister David Cameron have stepped…