Think out of “Echo Chambers” and Surf beyond “Filter Bubbles”...by Navraj Singh Gill
Chandigarh: The early morning routine of reading the newspaper with morning tea has segued into scrolling on mobile phones, rendering hundreds of reels learning your inclinations. Watching reels on social media releases the happy or reward hormone, dopamine. Whenever a reel grabs our attention, the brain seeks more engaging content.
Instantaneously, similar information would be bombarded that matches your liking. Unknowingly, due to this addictive behavior, one gets to customize information exposure to one’s liking.
Not serendipity but because of an algorithm that is personalizing the content implicitly. Thus, unintentionally, limiting oneself to a world of one’s perceptions, beliefs, likings or interests leaves no scope for learning anything new and prevents critical thinking.
Understanding “behind the scenes”, to personalize content, algorithms skew the information and filtered information reaches the Internet user leading to a “filter bubble”.
Passive personalization envelopes the user in his world of information based on preference. This is how Facebook content or Google search engine yields information of the user’s choice.
Netflix and Spotify, suggestions for series, movies, and songs use the same technology. News websites prioritize news content based on these algorithms. In this case, users are victims of technology. And, such a user behavior has an affinity for digital echo chambers.
In context with online exposure to information, Echo chambers’ can be described as exposure to one type of content that aligns, reinforces, and amplifies existing beliefs of the user.
The more the user engages with the content, “like, post, and share”, the more likely the platform will present similar content. An echo chamber is a choice exercised by the user.
Echo chambers can be on any topic, a cosmetic product, an ayurvedic remedy, politics, female foeticide, reservation policy, etc. In echo chambers, similar viewpoints resonate with other members of the user groups.
In a detached echo chamber environment, dismissing contradictory viewpoints is by default. Not considering others' points of view means no stimulus to critical thinking.
An echo chamber is created because of confirmation bias. Confirmation bias is a cognitive bias that favors information from your previously existing beliefs or biases.
In echo chambers, like-minded users express and reinforce their existing beliefs leading to polarised public opinion or bias. Thus, lack of diverse perspectives and amplified viewpoints of like-minded people.
Echo chambers always existed in the forms of book clubs, pubs, etc. where like-minded people will flock together for an informal conversation. Only that time-limited chit-chat has been replaced with the omnipresent information on the internet, round-the-clock.
Filter bubble algorithmically personalizes content by tracking user’s internet usage whereas users voluntarily introduce themselves to echo chambers.
While not encountering any opposing opinion an echo chamber can house and propagate fake and rumours. Here veracity of information falls short of its duty. What takes the lead is human psychology, it gravitates towards information that offers the least resistance or that does not challenge our existing beliefs. Hence, rejecting or disregarding any contradictory viewpoints.
Confirming others’ beliefs, and ideas can prevent new perspectives from coming into view. The homogeneity of echo chambers can imbalance the thought process by presenting biased and polarised opinions.
It may give only one side of the story. Not only this it hinders progressive thinking. One must question, if it is the knowledge that led to a decision or if the decision is just a mental alignment of one’s beliefs or bias. Is a filter bubble or echo chamber clouding my judgment to mark a piece of information as authentic?
Lest one fall into the trap of digital echo chambers and filter bubbles, always seeking out diverse sources of information.Changing the pattern of information consumption, for instance, consuming information from sources that differ in opinion can expose us to a varied and balanced view. It enhances the understanding of the information on the subject in multidimensional.
Also, engage with users who are open-minded and open to constructive dialogue in case of different points of view. Only de-confirming by questioning preconceived opinions proliferating across social media platforms may rather prove provoking.
Relatively, an approach of constructive conflict and dialogue can help us shatter the walls of echo chambers by reverberating diverse views. Time to think out of “echo chambers” and burst the “filter bubbles”.
September 13, 2024
-
-
Navraj Singh Gill, Co-Founder Educatree
gillnavraj2006@gmail.com
Disclaimer : The opinions expressed within this article are the personal opinions of the writer/author. The facts and opinions appearing in the article do not reflect the views of Babushahi.com or Tirchhi Nazar Media. Babushahi.com or Tirchhi Nazar Media does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.