The Internet you see is an Illusion

[CloneRanger]

How to pop your Internet 'filter bubble'

Personalization algorithms are stereotyping you, then hiding information from you based on that stereotype. Wait -- what

Think you're on the Internet right now? Well, you're not. You're on your Internet. The exact version of the online world that you see is available only to you.

Most of the major conduits through which you see the world online, including Google Search and Facebook, are gathering all kinds of data about you, then presenting you with a custom version of the world they think you're interested in. They're hiding or de-emphasizing the version of the world they assume you're not interested in.

In the past two years, the biggest gatekeeper websites have gotten very good at figuring out what you want and giving it to you. What's wrong with that?

There are downsides, according to a new book called The Filter Bubble: What the Internet Is Hiding From You.

*

Nobody knows what's being filtered out or why. Most people don't even know that filtering is taking place.

*

The most important thing about the "filter bubble" is that you know it exists. The Internet you see is not the Internet I see. The Internet you see has recently been redesigned to flatter, pander and validate -- not challenge, enlighten and educate.

https://www.computerworld.com/s/arti...filter_bubble_

[nix]

Personalization can create an "identity loop," according to Pariser. If you click to satisfy some passing curiosity, the algorithm might favor more such links in future. Because there are more links, you click more. You might even monitor your own activity and conclude that you must be especially interested. Personalization not only responds to personal interests. It shapes them.

The option to remain private and/or anonymous never looked better to me than it does right now

[BoerenkoolMetWorst]

Lol, anyone notice the irony?
While reading the article there are 14(!) different trackers tracking you including 2 from Google and 2 from Facebook

[CloneRanger]

Originally posted by BoerenkoolMetWorst

Lol, anyone notice the irony?

Not at the time But yeah

While reading the article there are 14(!) different trackers tracking you including 2 from Google and 2 from Facebook

I got 10 blocked, that i was notified about anyway



What are the other 4 ?

[BoerenkoolMetWorst]

Originally Posted by CloneRanger

Not at the time But yeah



I got 10 blocked, that i was notified about anyway

Attachment 226915

What are the other 4 ?

It depends on which domains you allow with NoScript or other addons. Some 3rd party domains load others, who again load others, when I temporarily allowed every domain with NoScript I got 14 trackers. I also got Comscore Beacon, Facebook Connect, Google Analytics and Quantcast.

[CloneRanger]

Originally posted by BoerenkoolMetWorst

when I temporarily allowed every domain with NoScript I got 14 trackers. I also got Comscore Beacon, Facebook Connect, Google Analytics and Quantcast.

Thanks That's "probably" why i didn't see them as my NoScript is set to block Everything

[Baserk]

A lot of talk about how some of my Facebook friends won't see my updates or I won't see their updates. Good grief, there is also a real world out there (and email)
(my FB profile is fake anyway, it's just for laughs).

Then there is Noscript, Scroogle, Ixquick and much more.
Personalization algorithms? Meh.
AdBlock+ takes care of most ads. Personalized or not.
All in all, much ado about nothing.

[monkeybutt]

I must say that I'm shocked,shocked,shocked!?

I'll take the "Blue Pill" for 10 points.

[Searching_ _ _]

What if the "Illusion" doesn't just stop at filtering but could isolate a user from the internet where all a users queries and downloads are mediated or fetched for them.
How would you know an intranet from an internet if your being fed?

[Hungry Man]

Google provides an optout to adsense and I believe one other program used to track you. They do this to be competitive.

Let's say I use google and "Search Engine X" equally for the same searches. Google learns I usually click results that have to do with Pizza but Search Engine X doesn't. Google uses that info to then provide me with more Pizza related results. Suddenly I'm getting more of what I want from google and Search Engine X hasn't really changed.

So why would I use Search Engine X?

Again, it's a feature.

[Nebulus]

Originally Posted by Hungry Man

Google provides an optout to adsense and I believe one other program used to track you. They do this to be competitive.

I provide myself with tools like Adblock and NoScript to optout from Google (and other sites) tracking

Originally Posted by Hungry Man

Let's say I use google and "Search Engine X" equally for the same searches. Google learns I usually click results that have to do with Pizza but Search Engine X doesn't. Google uses that info to then provide me with more Pizza related results. Suddenly I'm getting more of what I want from google and Search Engine X hasn't really changed.

So why would I use Search Engine X?

Ask yourself another question: in the situation you were describing, why would you use Google for anything ELSE than pizza ?

[Hungry Man]

I provide myself with tools like Adblock and NoScript to optout from Google (and other sites) tracking

I actually do as well but I don't believe that their service is malicious at all. I simply do it because... I can. Haha.

Also google provides an opt-out.
http://www.google.com/privacy/ads/