How to break free from the echo chambers of social media algorithms

Hey fam,

Ever notice how your social media feeds seem to serve content from the same accounts repeatedly? For example, when I scroll through Instagram, it’s usually a mix of makeup tutorials, personal finance tips, neuroscience hacks, and news from URL Media partners — plus a random assortment of sponsored posts, from Dunkin’ Donuts meal deals to free gym passes (what are you trying to say, Orange Theory? 👀). Nowadays, it’s rare to stumble upon something different unless I actively start liking, commenting or engaging with new accounts. This is essentially how algorithms work. As explained by Documented, algorithms are “sets of rules from a social media platform that decide what you see on your newsfeed and then choose the posts it thinks you’ll want to see most.”

That’s a pretty passive user experience. 

The tricky part of social media algorithms is they create a sort of confirmation bias, trapping us in echo chambers, experts say.

And it’s not just happening on social media. Think about the streaming platforms we use regularly. Take Netflix, for example. The homepage is a buffet of movie titles, all curated based on predicted user ratings, genres and what’s currently trending among other users. The platform also gives us films and shows similar to what we watched last time. But where are the thousands of people also binge-watching “Love is Blind” from the US and its offshore versions? And why do I have to leave Netflix to find them? I want algorithms to give us more variety and ways to connect with each other. 

Plus: Why are we reporting on a genocide using emojis? (Prism)

This disconnect is something New Yorker writer Kyle Chayka, author of Filterworld: How Algorithms Flattened Culture, discussed earlier this year on NPR’s “Fresh Air.” He pointed out that by constantly being fed content (news or otherwise) tailored to us, we become disconnected from our peers and oblivious to what’s happening outside our feeds. He also touched on how he believes algorithms have impacted journalism.

“Algorithmic feeds, I think, took on the responsibility that a lot of news publications once had. … In decades past, we would see the news stories that we consumed on a daily basis… Now, instead of the publication choosing which stories are most important, which things you should see right away, the Twitter, or X, algorithmic feed is sorting out what kinds of stories you’re consuming and what narratives are being built up.” 

I’ve been reflecting on his argument lately, particularly during this election cycle when social media plays such a big role in our communities’ lives. 

Documented, a trusted news source for immigrants in New York City, published a guide to help vulnerable communities think critically about the information they encounter online. The guide emphasizes safeguarding oneself from being a passive consumer, adding that social media often delivers content that triggers strong emotions within us — be it through memes or news that provokes anger or fear. One of their key tips is to trust your instincts when something feels off.

They also write: “Ask yourself: How is the information you see making you feel? Does the picture, video or article make you feel outraged or fearful? Does it make small differences between people seem much bigger than they are? Does the story or video explain a news phenomenon by blaming a small group of mysterious people for causing the event (this is often called a conspiracy)?”

Plus: How to combat misinformation & falsehoods this heated election season (URL Media)

In understanding the full scope of mis- and disinformation and its impact on our communities, URL Media partner Kansas City Defender, a community-driven platform filling a news gap for Black Gen Z and Millennials across the Midwest, reminds us that disinformation is hardly a new phenomenon, but a “lasting” tool of white supremacy “embedded in all of our social structures.” The piece explores how disinformation has been strategically used by U.S. media — encompassing any platform that shares information or facilitates social interactions — for centuries to control narratives and suppress Black people.

One notorious example occurred in the 1960s with the FBI’s COINTELPRO (short for Counterintelligence Program), which was created to disrupt the activities of dissident political groups in the US, and later expanded to target the Black Panther Party. At the time, civil rights leaders and Black Panther members were deliberately labeled as a nationalist hate group and attacked through a robust disinformation campaign designed to discredit the group’s leaders, limit their effectiveness and destabilize the movement.

Plus: A reflection on Black August (Black Girl Times)

Kansas City Defender goes on to highlight the dangers of mis- and disinformation, which include alienating communities from accessing crucial information about their health. They encourage readers to continuously scrutinize sources of information that many segments of society deem trustworthy, such as educational institutions, law enforcement, traditional media, and politicians.

Steps to building a more complete social media feed

We know that algorithms can’t capture everything in our feeds, but we can train them to show us a more complete and balanced stream of news and information, helping us become more active consumers in just three ways:

1. When you 🤎 a post on social media, the algorithm starts showing you more of that type of content. But did you know that not liking a post is just as powerful? On Instagram, you can tap the three little dots in the upper right-hand corner of a post and select ‘Not interested’ from the drop-down menu.
2. Similarly, Facebook allows users to hide, snooze, report, and block unwanted posts. And while you’re at it, don’t be shy about unfollowing a page you no longer find useful. 
3. Use key terms to discover new content on any given topic — not just the ones you’re already interested in, but those you may be less familiar with too.

Remember, it’s your feed. Make it a place you enjoy being on.