In the contemporary, increasingly digital-intertwined environment, being well-informed in society is more than just reacting or clicking a post, it’s a fundamental matter in safeguarding democracy itself.
Algorithms, artificial intelligence, and social media systems systematically curate the information that we media users encounter daily, which influences our public perception based on what we see, believe, and how we act, that become one of the significant challenges over the years up until the present. What’s particularly concerning is that the most affected are not only the present, but the future generations who will experience the era of navigating a complex landscape characterized by information and disinformation.While navigating the realm, we need to be aware that social media algorithms are very prone to bias, which can bring both positive and negative impacts.
Impacts that can either be beneficial or detrimental, particularly those that aim to take advantage of and exploit social media barriers that are supposed to prevent them. This simply means that every tap that is seemingly convenient is a consequence that develops into a more serious problem, called “manipulation”. Manipulation of reality, which timely reveals that the power of our consciousness and the power of algorithms are presently engaged in a silent conflict that affects not only our virtual identities but also our perceptions of the outside world. While digital literacy and our personal awareness are necessary to allow us to evaluate content critically, spot deceptive practices, and avoid mindlessly spreading false information.
The fact that algorithms are made to maximize interaction rather than truth is at the core of this problem. Being informed that everything we see online is sensational, emotional, and provocative receives the greatest interaction. The more we get into it, the more we become entangled, and from time to time, it unconsciously feeds our brain with a steady diet of information that aligns with our beliefs, creating what we know echo chamber that filters out our preexisting opinions, reinforces biases, and negatively exacerbates our social division. And through every clicking and swiping, subtle modifications of our perspective occur slowly, without even knowing, and over time, we get more certain of our beliefs, less accepting of different viewpoints, and more susceptible to false information.
But despite the power algorithms have over what we see and experience online, we still have something just as powerful on our side, which is “awareness”. Awareness, guided by our understanding of how social media works and how it influences our daily lives that can be a step in resisting social media manipulation, and awareness where we can apply our knowledge and our means of being conscious, informed, and responsible in using it. Instead of relying more on social media, thinking about other alternatives that will broaden our perspective from across the spectrum could bring a big impact in navigating the realms of manipulation.
Pause and reflect before engaging, practice fact-checking. It’s about understanding not only what we see on the internet, but also the question of why we see it, how it impacts us, and why we think we are being manipulated. One thing that will help is our willingness to engage real- based experience and practices that will not only help broaden our understanding, but also our personal capacity to recognize bias in our own thinking.
Although the clash between algorithm and awareness is one of our generations biggest challenges, the truth is that algorithms alone are tools and aren’t inherently flawed. Rather, the issue lies in how we apply them and how much power we grant to our choice decisions and thoughts that carry a big impact on our day-to-day basis. It is not only prudent but also essential to be knowledgeable, skeptical, and intentional in a world where digital systems know us better than we do.
In our world where technology is mediated more and more, our awareness provides a way to regain the world and keeps the human aspect at the center of our interactions with the digital realm. A means that helps us to take back control, to think critically, and to prevent unseen forces from distorting the reality of being twisted. But the question is, will we continue to be passive users of whatever the digital world pushes, or will we step up and take full responsibility for our digital lives? Because by the end of the day, the choice is ours, and the time to act is now. Although awareness lacks the scope of an algorithm, it originates with its own power, “choice”. And that choice is within ourselves, that lies a big strength to bring significant change.
Ella Mae Castillano
References
https://unsplash.com/photos/a-computer-chip-in-the-shape-of-a-human-head-gakXaqzGad0
HighRiskhttps://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S004727272500043X AI Systems-Lie Detection Application. https://www.mdpi.com/1999-5903/17/1/26
Tufekci, Z. (2015). Algorithmic harms beyond Facebook and Google: Emergent challenges of computational agency. Colorado Technology Law Journal, 13(203), 203–218.