The Filter BubbleThe Filter BubbleWorking with Middle School StudentsWorking with Middle School Students

Created by Fay Leong Created by Fay Leong

Exploring the bubble Exploring the bubble with your studentswith your students

WatchWatch

https://https://youtu.beyoutu.be/6pVSLgH-3kw/6pVSLgH-3kw

What did you notice?What did you notice?

2 Users2 Users

Same topicSame topic

Different ResultsDifferent Results

Engage with the issueEngage with the issue

“What if …we integrated discussions about the persuasive agents that are embedded in these tools?”

Estee Beck (June 2014)

Leverage the bubble!Leverage the bubble!

Try this with your classTry this with your class

Think Pair ShareThink Pair ShareFind your partner!Find your partner!

Which of the following statements do you agree Which of the following statements do you agree with?with?

This is not such a big deal. It’s good to see different This is not such a big deal. It’s good to see different perspectivesperspectives

Why should I care what other people find?Why should I care what other people find?

This is frustrating. My past search patterns might stop This is frustrating. My past search patterns might stop me finding anything useful!me finding anything useful!

Collaborative meaningCollaborative meaning1.1. Explain your answer to your partner.Explain your answer to your partner.

2.2. What are the points you agree on?What are the points you agree on?

3.3. What don’t you agree on?What don’t you agree on?

4.4. Put your opinions together and create a ‘stance’ that Put your opinions together and create a ‘stance’ that describes your point/s of viewdescribes your point/s of view

5.5. Present this to the class Present this to the class

So what…?So what…?

What’s our takeaway from this?What’s our takeaway from this?

What are YOU thinking?What are YOU thinking?

“A squirrel dying in your front yard may be more relevant to your interests right now than

people dying in Africa”

Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook Creator

Let’s find our bubble!Let’s find our bubble!

Move into groups of 3 or 4Move into groups of 3 or 4

Follow the instructions on the next Follow the instructions on the next slides…slides…

I’ll give you a key I’ll give you a key term…term…

Analysing your search Analysing your search resultsresults

Individually answer the following questions:Individually answer the following questions:

1.1.What companies can I see on my search results page?What companies can I see on my search results page?

2.2.What data have these companies collected on me? What data have these companies collected on me? What is my evidence?What is my evidence?

3.3.What are the benefits for me as a researcher when What are the benefits for me as a researcher when companies give me information, news, or links to items companies give me information, news, or links to items based on my preferences?based on my preferences?

4.4.What are the negatives?What are the negatives?

Collating group Collating group answersanswers

1.1. What are the similarities in your What are the similarities in your answers?answers?

2.2. What are the differences?What are the differences?

3.3. What will you do with this knowledge?What will you do with this knowledge?

Poll your classPoll your class

Do you care if companies, Do you care if companies, governments, social media networks governments, social media networks

control what you see?control what you see?

Use this quick polling websiteUse this quick polling website

http://www.poll-maker.com/http://www.poll-maker.com/

Did the poll results turn Did the poll results turn into a ‘teachable into a ‘teachable

moment’?moment’?

Controlling Controlling

the filterthe filter

Inovation by Markus Reugel

Can I stop the filter?Can I stop the filter?

You can run, but you You can run, but you can’t hide…can’t hide…

It’s true – you can turn off personalized searches It’s true – you can turn off personalized searches on Googleon Google

1.1.Once you are on Google, click the ‘Once you are on Google, click the ‘geargear’’ icon icon

2.2.Select ‘Select ‘Web historyWeb history’’

3.3.Click ‘Click ‘disable customizations based on search disable customizations based on search activityactivity’’

BUT…BUT…Google still knows your physical location, and Google still knows your physical location, and the browser you are using.the browser you are using.

It will know if you are inIt will know if you are in• Hong Kong…Hong Kong…• The United States…The United States…• Australia…Australia…

And it will tailor your And it will tailor your search results to search results to

events in that countryevents in that country

But if you KNOW that…But if you KNOW that…

Imagine what you could doImagine what you could do

Leverage the filter bubbleLeverage the filter bubble

Expand your perspectiveExpand your perspective

Make the filters work for youMake the filters work for you

How?How?

Always know your Always know your purposepurpose

Let’s try a taskLet’s try a taskImagine you are investigating the impact of the British Imagine you are investigating the impact of the British mission to China led by Lord Macartney in 1792.mission to China led by Lord Macartney in 1792.

……You’ve discussed the task in class.You’ve discussed the task in class.

You know what key questions you’re specifically You know what key questions you’re specifically working onworking on

You know why the mission happenedYou know why the mission happened

NOW you want to know why it failedNOW you want to know why it failed

ISOLATE your targetISOLATE your target

5 Easy Strategies5 Easy Strategies1.1.Quotation marksQuotation marks

2.2.Using specific words in your key stringUsing specific words in your key string

3.3.Using the minus signUsing the minus sign

4.4.Using 2 periodsUsing 2 periods

5.5.Using different country codes for GoogleUsing different country codes for Google

(Adapted from: Clark, H. 2013)(Adapted from: Clark, H. 2013)

Quotation MarksQuotation MarksUse quotation marks to search for an exact word or set Use quotation marks to search for an exact word or set of wordsof words

““macartney missionmacartney mission””

The key stringThe key stringIdentify a list of specific words for the key string to Identify a list of specific words for the key string to NARROW your targetNARROW your target

‘‘history china qing dynasty impact + “history china qing dynasty impact + “macartney macartney missionmission””

The minus signThe minus signPlace the minus sign AFTER the key string that sets the Place the minus sign AFTER the key string that sets the context, leaving NO space before the word that removes context, leaving NO space before the word that removes sites irrelevant to your search.sites irrelevant to your search.

history qing dynasty impact macartney mission-travelhistory qing dynasty impact macartney mission-travel

Using two periodsUsing two periodsNarrow your search by using two periods to help you Narrow your search by using two periods to help you find information between two relevant datesfind information between two relevant dates

History china qing dynasty impact + “History china qing dynasty impact + “macartney macartney missionmission”” 1792..1795 1792..1795

Consider country codesConsider country codesEvery country has its own perspective on events.Every country has its own perspective on events.

Try using country codes to isolate cultural perspectives.Try using country codes to isolate cultural perspectives.

All of Google is not equalAll of Google is not equal

Google.com.auGoogle.com.au

Google.com.hkGoogle.com.hk

Google.com.ukGoogle.com.uk

BUT…BUT…

Can I AVOID the filter?Can I AVOID the filter?

YESYES

Alternative search Alternative search enginesengines

Search engines such as Google and Yahoo! Search engines such as Google and Yahoo! are often set as default search enginesare often set as default search engines

They are the GIANTS OF SEARCHThey are the GIANTS OF SEARCH

But there are others…But there are others…

Search engine Search engine aggregatorsaggregators

Duck Duck goDuck Duck go

Does not track usersDoes not track users

Does not use preference miningDoes not use preference mining

Aims to provide relevant websites and Aims to provide relevant websites and alternative sources to continue alternative sources to continue searchingsearching

IxquickIxquick

Ranks sites in order of most relevantRanks sites in order of most relevant

5 stars means 5 search engines agreed 5 stars means 5 search engines agreed on the resulton the result

Use a SWOT analysis for Use a SWOT analysis for comparing 2 searchescomparing 2 searches

S – StrengthsS – Strengths

W – WeaknessesW – Weaknesses

O – OpportunitiesO – Opportunities

T - ThreatsT - Threats

Work in groupsWork in groupsHave students put the same key string in one of the search engine aggregators

Compare it with a Google search.

Provide groups with a key string relevant to current class work and with words specific enough to generate something useful

Example: china + "macartney mission”-travel

‘‘SWOT’ itSWOT’ it

Compare results from the aggregator to your default Compare results from the aggregator to your default search engine (eg. Google) search engine (eg. Google)

Expand your horizonsExpand your horizons

Know what forces are shaping Know what forces are shaping your searchyour search

Know what you want and why Know what you want and why you want ityou want it

Design your strategy!Design your strategy!

““Security against defeat implies Security against defeat implies defensive tacticsdefensive tactics

Ability to defeat the enemy means Ability to defeat the enemy means taking the offensive”taking the offensive”

Source: Sun Tzu The Art of War. Retrieved from Source: Sun Tzu The Art of War. Retrieved from http://classics.mit.edu/Tzu/artwar.htmlhttp://classics.mit.edu/Tzu/artwar.html

ReferencesReferencesBartlett, J. A. (Jan. 2014). Bartlett, J. A. (Jan. 2014). Internet Internet Reviews: Alternatives to Reviews: Alternatives to GoogleGoogle. .

Kentucky Libraries (10:13).Kentucky Libraries (10:13).

Beck, E. (June 2014)Beck, E. (June 2014)Breaking Breaking up with Facebook: Untethering from up with Facebook: Untethering from the ideological freight of online surveillance. Hybrid Pedagogythe ideological freight of online surveillance. Hybrid Pedagogy

Clarke, H. (Oct. 16, 2013). Do your students know how to search? Clarke, H. (Oct. 16, 2013). Do your students know how to search? Edudemic.Edudemic.

Heim, K. (2011). ‘Filter bubble’ influences what we see on Google Heim, K. (2011). ‘Filter bubble’ influences what we see on Google and Facebook. Scripps Howard Foundation Wireand Facebook. Scripps Howard Foundation Wire

Pariser, E. (2011a). Beware online “filter bubbles.” TED talk. Pariser, E. (2011a). Beware online “filter bubbles.” TED talk.

Renault, V. (n.d.). Section 14. SWOT analysis: Strengths, Renault, V. (n.d.). Section 14. SWOT analysis: Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats. The Community Toolbox. weaknesses, opportunities, threats. The Community Toolbox. University of Kansas.University of Kansas.

Ritchhart, R., & Perkins, D. N. (2005). Learning to think: The Ritchhart, R., & Perkins, D. N. (2005). Learning to think: The challenges of teaching thinking. The Cambridge handbook of challenges of teaching thinking. The Cambridge handbook of thinking and reasoning, 775-802.thinking and reasoning, 775-802.

Rieland, R. (Dec. 11). Have scientists found a way to pop the filter Rieland, R. (Dec. 11). Have scientists found a way to pop the filter bubble? Smithsonian.combubble? Smithsonian.com

Valentine, A., & Wukovitz, L. (2013). Using The Filter Bubble to Valentine, A., & Wukovitz, L. (2013). Using The Filter Bubble to Create a Teachable Moment: A Case Study Utilizing Online Create a Teachable Moment: A Case Study Utilizing Online Personalization to Engage Students in Information Literacy Personalization to Engage Students in Information Literacy Instruction. Pennsylvania Libraries: Research & Practice, 1(1), 24-Instruction. Pennsylvania Libraries: Research & Practice, 1(1), 24-34.34.

Zuckerberg, M in Pariser, E. (May 22, 2011). When the internet thinks Zuckerberg, M in Pariser, E. (May 22, 2011). When the internet thinks it knows you. The New York Times. it knows you. The New York Times.

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Image reference‘Inovation’ by Markus Reugel, under a Creative Commons Attribution Non-commerical share-alike license