Eli’s book, of course, is about what happens when personalization algorithms filter the information we see – but he’s also frank about the fact that we do a lot of information filtering on our own, without the aid of online bots. For the most part, we don’t go to Drudge or HuffPo because an algorithm leads us there via our friend’s Facebook feed; we actively choose our information sources based on whether they share our worldview.
But the self-reinforcing forces don’t stop there. Even if we were to skim an article that disagrees with our beliefs, we’re unlikely to read it with an open mind. Instead we’ll cherry pick the information that supports our position, and pick apart everything else. (In one famous study, subjects who read identical papers supporting and contesting the death penalty tended to strengthen their previous views, regardless of whether they were for or against capital punishment.) And if the argument comes from a source we distrust – well, the odds are even greater that the only facts that will filter through are those that jive with our viewpoint.
Youtube seems to know that, likewise, a Republican politician has a long shot of winning any converts from the Democratic party when it comes to a debate on the issues (and vice versa). In a new civic-minded venture with Congress, the Google subsidiary will host pro-con policy face-offs between US senators starting May 2. To get past our partisan filters and increase the chances we’ll give both sides a fair hearing, the senators won’t be identified by by party.
The project planners are banking on viewers not being able to tell a Jim DeMint from a Dick Durbin (wisely so). But although it can remove the “messenger” bias, there’s not much Youtube can do to stop us from sifting out disconfirming information once we know the upshot of the “message.” Nonetheless, getting past two filters – by showing us two sides of an issue and (partly) cloaking the source – is a promising step in the right direction.
(cross-posted from thefilterbubble.com)
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