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ENG 151 - Source Evaluation

Definitions

Confirmation Bias - "people’s tendency to process information by looking for, or interpreting, information that is consistent with their existing beliefs." (Encyclopedia Britannica)

  • Following only social media accounts & pages that align with your views
  • Only using certain news outlets to get your information
  • Using a search engine to only find sources that agree with you

Filter Bubbles - "an environment and especially an online environment in which people are exposed only to opinions and information that conform to their existing beliefs" ( Merriam-Webster)

  • This happens without you making decisions, it's an algorithm. 
  • Filter Bubbles are created all over the internet, taking information from websites your visit, click interactions, search history, videos you watch, pages and accounts on social media that you follow and interact with. 

-Media Bias is common with most online news and information sources. You are probably aware of the bias of well-known sources like CNN, Fox News, The New Yorker, and OAN.  However, most sources that you find online will use various methods to subtly convey and sway readers to their way of thinking. This could be word choice, images, authors, or people they choose to interview.-

 

This Media Bias Chart from AllSides.com can help you determine if your source has political bias.

How do I escape the Filter Bubble?

In today's online environment, it is almost impossible to completely escape a Filter Bubble, but here are some ways that you can expand it. 

  1. Be aware that the Filter Bubble exists and that you may not be getting the full picture. 
  2. Seek out information from people who don't share your point of view. This means accepting that not everyone thinks or believes the things that you do and, even further, that you may believe something that is incorrect or more complicated than you originally thought.
  3. Be aware of the bias that sources have. Use source evaluation and lateral searching to find out about who is telling you your information. 
  4. Put your browser in incognito or anonymous mode. There are also search engines that pride themselves in privacy, such as DuckDuckGo