CIVIX Explains: Algorithms

Before the rise of the internet everyone saw
more or less the same news. It came from TV,

radio, and newspapers. The gatekeepers
of information were people,

with editors reviewing all the possible news
and deciding what the public should see.

Today. traditional news organizations are
joined by countless other sources online

and on the internet it is often computer
programs that decide what people should see.

When you search the web or visit a social media
site, there's so much content available that

a system is needed to filter the results
to predict what a user will want to see.

Online platforms use algorithms. An
algorithm is a set of instructions

that tells a computer how to perform certain
tasks such as how to sort information.

Algorithms determine what content to show
you based on a combination of what is popular

and what they know about
your attitudes and interests.

When you create a social media account you likely
provide some basic information such as your name,

gender, and age. You might share other information
without even realizing it. Each time you like,

share, or comment on a post that information is
stored and used to build a profile of you. On

the broader web, most of the actions you take are
tracked and accessible by social media algorithms.

It may come as a surprise how much an algorithm
can learn about you through your actions. This

data you leave behind is valuable because online
platforms make money by selling advertising.

Advertisers will pay to reach the people most
likely to be interested in their message.

The more a platform knows about you, the more
effectively it can target you with personalized

content and ads. Algorithms may encourage you to
keep clicking scrolling or watching by displaying

content that is popular interesting or new
because the goal is to hold your attention.

Algorithms can favor content that is
sensational, false, or misleading.

There are times when algorithms can
be helpful, for example, when a music

streaming service suggests a new song based
on what you've listened to before. But when

algorithms determine the news or information we
see the consequences may be more significant.

When information is personalized just for us we
can end up in filter bubbles. Filter bubbles form

when we are shown only information we are likely
to agree with. Being in a filter bubble can cause

us to become less accepting of views that are
different from our own. This can have a negative

effect on democracy which requires citizens to
listen to one another and find common ground.

Understanding why we see what we see
online can help us to be more critical

consumers of information. Our feeds never
give us the whole picture so we need to

build the habit of seeking out news and
information from a variety of sources.