CIVIX Explains: Algorithms

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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.

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