Google is a common search tool used to find information, but its search function also contains algorithms that can affect the results you receive. Think about searches you’ve conducted in the past – did the results tend to lean towards a certain bias?
Read this short article from Scientific American on How to Think About Implicit Bias
Then, watch the below video from Cathy O’Neil on The Truth About Algorithms before answering the discussion prompts.
In a short discussion post (about 150 words), please answer the questions below:
Try a Google search for something you are interested in – -just a topic is fine. When you begin to type your topic in the search bar, what are the autocomplete suggestions? What does this tell you about the information you’re about to receive, and how might this information be represented or misrepresented?
Next, conduct a full search on this topic. Review the first page of search results. What do you think influenced these search results? (Economic context, advertisements, social context, historical context, etc.)
Thinking about what you’ve learned so far about algorithms, do you think the results that you get from Google searches are credible, fair, and objective ideas? Why or why not?