CSE 619 Final Paper (first 400 words)

The personalization of information does not simply limit access to information, it  also has negative implications on other areas affecting Internet users. These areas include creativity, exploration opportunities and cultural awareness. Creativity based on one’s learning through making choices and developing connections. Limiting exploration by creating boundaries and wall impeding acess to unfamiliar information. Finally, cultural awareness that is limited to a narrow perspective based on information support one’s current beliefs or ideas.  

Static information limits the opportunities for creativity to emerge due to the similarity in the information already known to the user. In The Filter Bubble, Pariser affirms three ways personalization can interfere with creativity. First, he explains the “solution horizon” is limited. This is where users search for possible solutions to problems. With less information this limits possible options. Personalization also limits the environments accessible. For each individual, different environments can prompt creativity. Last, a filter encourages a passive approach to obtaining information due to the information being mouth-fed to the user.

Christensen, an author and educator, addresses the importance of literacy and it’s key role in promoting social justice. One can draw a parallel between this reading and understanding of text to having acess to reading material. According to Christensen, reading and writing are political acts. One example Christensen references is how slaveholders denied Africans literacy because it would lead to liberty and spread of freedom. In our current world of emerging technologies, theses have become the medium for political acts and awareness. Blogs allowing an open opinion medium. Users interacting with authors of reports of current events and issues through commenting and replying to others. Denying a person literacy is like denying a person the right to be politically involved and demand social justice. This relates to cultural awareness, one area effected by personalization.   

Tracking is another topic addressed in Christensen's work. This is an educational practice in which students are grouped and separated based on acadmic success. This is similar to what occurs when people are grouped based on personalization algorithms. In both examples, participants are excluded from certain activites or information, whether it be those from a different track or different information filter.  Christensen writes about these tracks, “Everybody should have all opportunities open to them. Why figure out ahead of time for people what they’re going to do with their lives (pp. 170).” Like tracks, personalization takes away opportunities and attempts to decide what is important. As Christensen advocates for creating quality education for all students, removing an information filter would create diverse news feeds for all internet users.