The Hyper-Personalization of Our Internet Experience (02.10.22)

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | Spotify | RSS

This week we’re going to be talking about the hyper-personalization of social media. Social media, by the way the apps and algorithms are designed, provides a different experience for each user. No two people on social media, even if they are using the same app, will be looking at the same feed. Why does this matter? It impacts our view of the world around us and our ability to interact with others.

The Hyper-Personalization of Our Internet Experience

“The hyper-personalization of our internet experience hinders our ability to see why other people believe what they believe. On the face of it, filter bubbles and hyper-personalization seem problematic because they may entrench us in our own beliefs. But beyond that, the broader problem is that it is impossible to know what the world looks like for someone who disagrees with us. […] If you are a hard-core Conservative, and your Facebook feed is full of hard-core Conservative articles and opinions, you can’t flip over to ‘hard-core Liberal’ Facebook to see what they’re saying. If you often feel like you are living in a different world from the people with whom you disagree, it’s because you are. Living in our own little ideological worlds is not a new problem, but it is amplified by social media because we have no simple opportunity to peek into the little worlds of people who hold opposing views.” (Terms of Service: The Real Cost of Social Media)