Now that you've spent some time with this week's materials, think about the following questions and respond to any or all of them by starting new topic or replying to a topic in one of the discussion spaces. (How do I participate?)
As an experiment, run a few identical Google searches on two different computers, preferably owned by different people (this might work well with different coworkers in the office or by calling some friends in a different state). Did you notice any difference in the results? Did you see anything surprising?
Respond in Google Groups or Google+
If computer algorithms control what search results, news stories, and social network updates we see as individuals, how might this play out on a larger scale? What do you think it might mean for society?
Respond in Google Groups or Google+
Practices of search engine optimization (SEO), which some abuse by creating content farms, have become popular as search rankings become ever more important for things like business exposure. What do you think--is SEO all bad? How can you, as a searcher, use knowledge of SEO to benefit your searches?
Respond in Google Groups or Google+
It has been said that if you’re not paying for a service online, you’re not the customer, you’re the product. Knowing what you know now about Big Data, how do you feel about this assumption?
Respond in Google Groups or Google+
Spend some time thinking about the kinds of sources you see in search results, the people that show up in your Facebook news feed, and the news articles that appear in the news service you use. This content is your "filter bubble." What’s in yours, and (perhaps more difficult to answer) what’s not in your filter bubble? How much say did you have in determining this? Do you think that the algorithmic control of the content you see online helps to address issues of information overload, or does it exacerbate the problem of ideological isolation?
Ideas for contributing your reflection: