Something, something algorithms

So, I'm forced to compare and contrast three sources.  The first comes from a Eli Parsler's TED Talks presentation, "Beware Online Filter Bubbles." The second is a Sue Harper article from entitled, "Mind Control and the Internet."

Since it's 6 in the morning, and I'm really tired as of this writing, let me just start comparing them now.  The Parsler presentation and the Sue Harper article both harp on the notion that while being on the Internet can be a way of expressing your individuality, your individuality ultimately affects what you look up and see on the Internet.  And in that sense, the information super-highway is not necessarily a super-highway, and more like and endless route in which you go around in circles inside your own world view.

The third article, "Clive Thompson on High-Bandwidth Buddies" is obviously by Clive Thompson.  In contrast, Thompson challenges the negative connotations of homophily that the Parsler and Harper articles represent.  He argues that the fact the Google Algorithm binds us to our beliefs is no more than a best friend whom you stick with.  Citing a study that that Sinan Aral and Marshall Van Alstyne conducted, he reinforces this point by revealing that although the algorithm allows for more bandwidth, that bandwidth matters because information is presented to you in a language you already understand, and thus, you'll be able to listen and gain more information because of it, as opposed to relying solely on new ties to gain new info.  In other words, he argues that the way the search algorithm is catered to you, is not necessarily a bad thing.  Just because the net is catered to us doesn't mean we're being shielded from the harsh reality.

I would say I agree with the Thompson article the most convincing.  While it is nice to rely on weak ties to give steer us into finding new information, it doesn't really change anything because it happens occasionally.  On the other hand, we already have a language that we understand through strong ties, and because of that, we actually gain new info that way.