
The Filter Bubble
What the Internet Is Hiding from You
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Narrated by:
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Kirby Heyborne
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By:
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Eli Pariser
About this listen
In December 2009, Google began customizing its search results for each user. Instead of giving you the most broadly popular result, Google now tries to predict what you are most likely to click on. According to MoveOn.org board president Eli Pariser, Google's change in policy is symptomatic of the most significant shift to take place on the Web in recent years: the rise of personalization. In this groundbreaking investigation of the new hidden Web, Pariser uncovers how this growing trend threatens to control how we consume and share information as a society - and reveals what we can do about it.
Though the phenomenon has gone largely undetected until now, personalized filters are sweeping the Web, creating individual universes of information for each of us. Facebook - the primary news source for an increasing number of Americans - prioritizes the links it believes will appeal to you so that if you are a liberal, you can expect to see only progressive links. Even an old-media bastion like The Washington Post devotes the top of its home page to a news feed with the links your Facebook friends are sharing. Behind the scenes, a burgeoning industry of data companies is tracking your personal information to sell to advertisers, from your political leanings to the color you painted your living room to the hiking boots you just browsed on Zappos.
In a personalized world, we will increasingly be typed and fed only news that is pleasant, familiar, and confirms our beliefs - and because these filters are invisible, we won't know what is being hidden from us. Our past interests will determine what we are exposed to in the future, leaving less room for the unexpected encounters that spark creativity, innovation, and the democratic exchange of ideas. While we all worry that the Internet is eroding privacy or shrinking our attention spans, Pariser uncovers a more pernicious and far-reaching trend and shows how we can - and must - change course.
©2011 Eli Pariser (P)2011 TantorListeners also enjoyed...
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Would you listen to The Filter Bubble again? Why?
This was one of those books you end up talking about with everyone you know. This should be mandatory reading for everyone who uses the Internet.What other book might you compare The Filter Bubble to and why?
The ShallowsWell Worth a Listen
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must read.
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What made the experience of listening to The Filter Bubble the most enjoyable?
Perhaps enjoyable is not the word so much as shocking but the material was well researched and therefore was hard to pause for any length of time. Even as a bit of a geek, there was much information that surprised me. The extent of internet information collection and usage as described in this story scares me more than a nuclear warhead in Iran! It even makes me worry more about the next generation and how little it would take for the wrong people to get their hands on the power of this information for bad purposes. The suggestions for solutions seem lame and difficult to assure.What did you like about the performance? What did you dislike?
In my opinion, there are very few performers who can read these non-fiction titles super effectively. The average reader tends to sound less than excited or perhaps the rehearsal time is shortened which leads to gentle ennui.Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?
Even without paranoia, this book can make the world scary.Any additional comments?
I enjoyed learning all that was in this book as well as the potential solutions. It is another book that I feel should be mandatory reading at some level in the educational system.A Horror Story for all.
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How you unwittingly manipulate your experience.
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Problem Well Presented
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The content of this book is spot on and the reader does an excellent job with the material. I'm giving it the highest ratings and I'll not only recommend to my friends and acquaintances, I'll give copies every chance I get.
Good job, Eli and Kirby! Good job Audible for making it available!
If you're concerned about your privacy...
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articulate & accurate
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Excellent
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Informative and very interesting
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