THE FILTER BUBBLE What the Internet Is Hiding From You

Internet activist Eli Pariser examines how Internet locations employ sophisticated algorithms to selectively predict what information a user most likely wants to see, based on his or her location and search history. Despite the book’s fascinating hypotheses, Kirby Heyborne’s even-toned, deft narration has the effect of making it a soothing but unabsorbing listening experience. Examples of the “filter bubble” are Google's personalized search results and Facebook's personalized news stream. According to Pariser, users get less exposure to conflicting intellectual viewpoints. The youthful, soft-spoken Heyborne does his best, but listeners may need to hear a more intense delivery in order to focus on the author’s message. W.A.G. © AudioFile 2011, Portland, Maine [Published: OCTOBER 2011]