Recently, we’ve all become aware of the “filter bubble”, the malignant circumstance that prevents us from being able to relate to anybody who isn’t like us. It corrupts us and makes us unable to share experiences with “the others.” It’s the reason the Internet isn’t a free exchange of ideas.

Except it’s actually bullshit.

The “filter bubble” exists - I won’t deny that. But when it’s represented as some fundamental force, some irreconciable construct of the Internet, and we start blaming technology for the problems we’ve created through complacently embracing our biases in exchange for not being uncomfortable, we’re just tightening our circle of bad information.

If you suspect you might be subject to a limited view of differing opinions, and you agree that this puts you at a disadvantage when you try to interact with the world, then you need to accept that this bubble is entiely of your own making.

We all created this

Facebook gets a lot of flak for causing the filter bubble. At best, though, it enables our own tendancies to surround ourselves with people who agreee with us. This social network didn’t start as a media outlet, it was just a way to connect with the people in your life.

Software is always changing, and when done well, every change makes it more attractive to users. Facebook is a great software company, and they have consistently delivered what its users want. This, by the way, is how every consumer product is designed. Aside from the truly courageous Apple, nobody is dictating terms to their users; everything we buy and use was built for us, tailor-made to delight us.

So, at the risk of victim blaming: you asked for a filter bubble. And you’ve enjoyed it.

Facebook provides us with the exact bullshit we’re looking for.

When Facebook started showing users less content from sources we didn’t “Like” as much, that was an improvement. We saw more of what we liked, and we liked it more.

Now that we recognize the danger of filtering out uncomfortable ideas, we need to acknowledge that it was our implicit preferences and user feedback, collected by monitoring our usage of their product, that informed Facebook’s design decisions. They figured out what would make us spend more time on Facebook and delivered it.

That’s not malice or manipulation, that’s fundamentally good product design.

Step back a bit

This isn’t meant to be praise for Facebook (or Twitter, or anybody else). It’s also not meant to be a blamefest on “modern society”. If anything, I would hope that this prompts a little introspection into why we consume the Internet services we do.

When you pull out your phone and autopilot to Instagram, are you replacing downtime with valuable interactions with the people you care about? Are you finding new, challenging ideas to occupy your mind? Or are you just scrolling past stuff that interests you just enough to keep scrolling?

If you’re upset about the filter bubble, your first step is to realize that you build it around yourself, every day. Second is to realize that you aren’t trapped in it. Bubbles pop really easily. That’s Bubble 101.

Just remember, the social networks are not going to pop this bubble for you. They’re making shit tons of money by showing you things you like to see. If you want to break out, it’s on you to take back control of what you consume.