Learn how algorithms shape what you see online and how to make more intentional choices about what you engage with.
Essential Questions
- What are algorithms, and how do they shape what we see, and don't see, online?
- How do platforms use our behavior to predict, test, and reinforce what content we engage with, and what are the consequences of that process?
- What responsibilities do we have as users to make intentional choices about our attention in a media landscape designed to capture it?
Big Ideas
- How Algorithms Work: Algorithms are not neutral. They are prediction engines that collect behavioral signals, score content, and continuously update based on what keeps users engaged, often prioritizing attention over accuracy or helpfulness.
- The Filter Bubble Effect: When platforms reinforce what we already engage with and limit exposure to outside perspectives, our sense of what is normal, important, or true can become distorted without us realizing it. This can fuel polarization, conspiracy theories, and hate toward minority groups.
- Intentional Engagement: Understanding how algorithms work doesn't require logging off, it requires building habits of awareness, using platform controls deliberately, and treating attention as a resource worth protecting.