Source: http://chainsawsuit.com/comic/
This was an interesting cartoon that I came across in the Medium website originally created by cartoonist Kris Straub. Even though it appears to be funny at first, this cartoon does a good job in showing how social media and other digital devices reinforce prejudices by filtering information so that we only see things that confirm our biases.
The cartoon shows how a person looking for the truth on the internet is fed with content which they are already inclined to agree with. And this is caused by “filter bubbles”.
The bubble refers to a large amount of information that the gatekeepers of the internet like Facebook, Google, and other social media sites filter based on individual likes and dislikes.
Although the person in the cartoon and individuals like us thinks that social media can be the source of all information, projecting variety of views, in reality, we end up not seeing what people who think differently see and in fact not even know that it exists.
We use the internet so casually and frequently in our daily lives that we easily forget that these online platforms are businesses, and as businesses, they try to give consumers the lest stressful experience as possible- like in the case of Google and Twitter, what they think the consumers will want as the most enjoyable experience.
The algorithms online are feeding us a steady diet of relevant news and information. But what we need is a balanced diet of information that is both opposing and challenging. We need algorithms that let us see things that don’t get through and the internet should be something that lets us see through our own biases, introducing us to new ideas and perspectives from new people.
So, is the cartoon fair? Effective?
Yes, I think that the cartoon satirically conveys the issue of online filter bubble in a very effective way.
Take a look at this short video which shows multiple ways to pop the bubble!
"You can stay inside your bubble but that's your choice. But the thing is, just because you choose to believe certain things are true doesn’t mean that’s actually what’s true." — Eli Pariser
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