Page 11 - Media&Information Literacy - Good Practices

People have the tendency to associate with like-minded others (people of the
same age, gender, class, origin, or with the same interests or problems).

That is why our digital networks in social media often reflect our choice of

friends and affiliations in real life. Our digital networks are a combination of
the friends and networks we have in real life, users we only know virtually

through the web, and people and organizations that represent or mirror our

interests, experiences or viewpoints.
Such networks determine what information we receive. The interests and

views of our network influence the algorithms that social

media use to determine what we get to see and
what stays hidden. We trust our network and the

information it provides, and very

often, we don’t even perceive opposing
views. This is called an information bubble.

Sometimes it is also referred to as a filter

bubble or echo chamber. In an information bubble, we feel well informed but

actually, we are only exposed to selective information that reflects our
beliefs.