2.6: Questions for Critical Thinking
- Page ID
- 246414
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Questions for Critical Thinking About Information Ecosystems, Algorithms, and Organization
This chapter introduced the often concerning effects of living in the Age of Algorithms, including algorithmic bias, the attention economy, and digital polarization. These overlapping and intersecting concepts will greatly shape the type of information we see online, and will influence our opinions, behaviors, decisions, and worldviews.
- How can we apply our awareness and understanding of the information environments to take advantage of the benefits they offer and use them more effectively?
- How important is it important for us to seek out information that algorithms do not put in front of us? How might doing so affect our opinions and decisions?
- How do you organize your personal items (clothing, books, or equipment for sports, hobbies, or other interests)? How do your organizational schemes reflect your own cultural or social perspectives, priorities, or biases? Would they make sense to someone else?
- What strategies do you have for organizing the information you gather for research assignments or for personal or professional use?
“Despite the emerging awareness of many of the terrible side effects of these platforms, we are dependent on them. They’ve become our local news channels, our emergency communication systems, our town squares, and the primary windows into the lives of our loved ones and governments. They are a critical part of how we rally around shared causes and engage with our politics. How do we reconcile their toxicity with their utility?” (Rose-Stockwell; emphasis added)
Sources
Rose-Stockwell, Tobias. “How to Design Better Social Media.” Medium, 13 Apr. 2018. Licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0.