Thursday, March 31, 2016

A Breakdown of MY Filter Bubble

To show just how extreme The Filter Bubble can be, I broke down the top 3 forms of social media that I used the most, what effect The Filter Bubble could be having on my life because of it, and how my life could be altered if The Filter Bubble didn’t exist. I was shocked by some of the results…
PINTEREST:
The top three posts that were reoccurring on my Pinterest:
1.     Summer Clothes
2.     Make-Up
3.     Sorority Crafts
The Effect: Pinterest is the social media platform that I use the most, as I like to use my personal social media as a break from “the real world.” This is one platform that I don’t mind the bubble on, as I specifically go on it to get outfit ideas, inspiration for my make-up, and crafts to make for my “little sister” in my sorority.
In An Alternate Universe: In another world, I could be seeing a lot of photography tips, hacks on training a dog, or inspiration for a garden that I don’t have. Maybe it would inspire me to take up a new hobby or purchase a pet, but as I said, I really do think that the bubble enhances the Pinterest experience.
FACEBOOK:
Top three themes that I found on my Facebook:
1.     Buzzfeed articles that had to do with being a college student
2.     Religious posts (all Christian)
3.     Ads for Johnson’s baby lotion (2)
The Effect: As a college student, I like to think that the rest of the world sees things as I do, and a lot of the times, I feel that way. I didn’t realize that it could be because of the only articles that I read are from Buzzfeed that are only relatable to college students. I am involved in a Christian club on campus, and my faith has always been very important to me, so I enjoy reading articles that relate to college kids’ spirituality. Lastly, I was racking my brain as to why these Johnson’s baby lotion ads came up, as I haven’t been looking into unscented lotion or multivitamins. Then I remembered that Johnson’s made a lotion that all of the softball moms on my sister’s team raved about, that was supposed to smell great and keep mosquitos away. I was on the hunt for it last summer as it was sold out in stores.
In An Alternate Universe: I would see the world through the lens of someone who is not a college student (and then be shocked that there is a world outside of UNL). I could be exposed to more religious practices other than just my own. As for the baby lotion…maybe I’d consider Aveeno?
INSTAGRAM:
The first 7 posts that popped up on my filter included:
1.     NHL (3)
2.     My favorite contestant from American Idol (2)
3.     My brother
4.     Johnson’s lotion advertisement
The Effect: Hockey practically runs my life. I work in the industry. My family billets players. The NHL network is the default channel at my parent’s house. Why would it not take over my social media? American Idol was on tonight, so I wasn’t shocked that the contestants were promoting themselves, and in the process, I became more of a fan of my favorite. I think it’s a part of siblings’ duties to like each other’s Instagram posts, so my brother and sister will generally always get a “like” from me. And of course, the lotion had to make an appearance again, because the Facebook ads just weren’t enough.

In An Alternate Universe: Maybe I would keep up with sports that I used to enjoy in high school more often if they were displayed on my feed. If I didn’t see my favorite AI contestant’s posts, I wouldn’t be thinking about how I hope that he wins even as I am doing this assignment right now. If my brother’s post didn’t show up, I wouldn’t have remembered to text him good luck at his baseball game tomorrow. Oh yeah. The lotion ad. I’ve already Googled Aveeno in hopes of cutting down on all of the Johnson’s that is embedded into my feeds.

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