Not Falling for It · Mission 6 of 7
The recommendation bubble
Why the app keeps showing you the same things, why what makes people angry spreads most – and how to tell that your feed isn't the whole world.
about 7 minutesStart with the → key or the space bar.
💬Friday evening, one video after another
Chris watches a video about his school maybe bringing in matching T-shirts. The creator is really angry. Chris watches it to the end and gives it a thumbs up.
Next video: another angry person, more T-shirts. And another. After an hour, Chris feels that absolutely everyone is against it.
On Monday it turns out that opinions in class are mixed. Some people like the T-shirts, some don't, and lots of people don't care. How come Chris didn't see any of that in his feed?
The app chooses your feed
There are so many videos and posts that nobody could get through them all. So the app chooses for you. This choosing is called recommending, and a computer program does it – an algorithm.
Big platforms describe what they base their choices on: what you watch and for how long, what you like, share and comment on, who you follow and what you tap “Not interested” on. One of them says that watching a longer video right to the end is a strong sign of interest. Then it offers you more like it.
The same platform admits that recommending can unintentionally narrow what you see, and that there's a risk of an ever more samey stream of videos. This is called a bubble.
What makes people angry spreads
One study looked at over half a million posts on a social network about three controversial political topics. Each word expressing a strong moral emotion, such as outrage, made a post spread about 20% more.
Another study compared two feeds: one ranked by what people react to most, and one sorted only by time. The first showed more angry posts attacking “the other side”. Yet people didn't actually want them: they didn't prefer the political posts chosen this way to the others, and after reading them they felt worse about “the other side”.
A review of many studies says that a completely closed bubble is rarer than people often think – most people get news from different sources. But your feed can easily give you a distorted sense of what “everyone” thinks.
A feed isn't a poll. How many videos with one opinion you see doesn't tell you what other people think.
How to get out of the bubble
- Ask why you're seeing it. Is the app showing me this because it's important, or because I watch similar videos?
- Look for the other side too. Deliberately search for the opposite opinion and the original source: what's actually being proposed, what actually happened.
- Pause when something makes you angry. Anger is exactly the reaction your feed rewards with more of the same.
- Adjust your feed. Tap “Not interested” on videos you don't want. In some apps you can delete or pause your watch history. And in the EU, large platforms must also offer a feed that isn't based on your profile – for example one sorted by time.
- Ask the people around you. What do your classmates, family or teachers think – and why?
Find out more about the “Everyone's doing it” trick in the Manipulation atlas.
Game: Where is the feed fooling you? · Message 1 of 3
Tap the parts that are meant to make you angry or convince you that everyone thinks so. One of the messages is honest.
The fifth video about the T-shirts Chris got that evening
The school wants to force matching T-shirts on us and destroy our last bit of freedom! 😡 Look at the comments: nobody wants this. Share so as many people as possible see it!
Marked: 0 · After the discussion, click the places the class agrees on. Then show the analysis.
Game: Where is the feed fooling you? · Message 2 of 3
Tap the parts that are meant to make you angry or convince you that everyone thinks so. One of the messages is honest.
Chris messages a friend
All evening I've only been getting videos against the T-shirts. So absolutely everyone is against them. Check out the newest one, it'll really wind you up! 😡
Marked: 0 · After the discussion, click the places the class agrees on. Then show the analysis.
Game: Where is the feed fooling you? · Message 3 of 3
Tap the parts that are meant to make you angry or convince you that everyone thinks so. One of the messages is honest.
Reply from his friend Amira
I was getting the same thing. So I read on the school website what's actually being proposed: T-shirts only for trips and sports days, no uniforms. I also deliberately looked for opinions from people who are in favour. The school council is discussing it on Thursday – come along and ask.
Marked: 0 · After the discussion, click the places the class agrees on. Then show the analysis.
Quiz: Bubble or the whole world? · Question 1 of 3
Why does the app keep showing you similar videos?
Click the answer the class decides on. Then show the right one.
Quiz: Bubble or the whole world? · Question 2 of 3
Your feed only shows you videos against an idea. What follows from that?
Click the answer the class decides on. Then show the right one.
Quiz: Bubble or the whole world? · Question 3 of 3
What helps you get out of the bubble?
Click the answer the class decides on. Then show the right one.
What to remember
- ◆The app chooses your feed based on what you react to.
- ◆What makes people angry spreads most. But anger proves nothing.
- ◆A feed isn't a poll: more videos doesn't mean more people.
- ◆Look for the other side and the original source.
- ◆You can influence your feed: “Not interested”, deleting your history, a feed not based on your profile.
💬Let's talk
- 1What has the app been showing you most lately? Why do you think it's that?
- 2Can you think of a topic where you only see one opinion in your feed? Where could you find the other one?
- 3Compare your feed with an adult's: how are they different, and why?
Tip for the teacher
Show each other what your apps offer you – you'll see that everyone gets a slightly different world. Don't criticise what your child watches; ask instead why the app might be showing it to them. You can also look together for the “Not interested” option or a feed that isn't based on your profile – in the EU, large platforms have to offer one.
✓ Mission complete!
At home, children can play it again – with their parents, for example. Free and without an account.
thinkcritical.eu/