Beyond the echo chamber of online algorithms

Beyond the echo chamber of online algorithms

In August, Meta – the parent company of Facebook and Instagram – blocked Canadian users from seeing news media on their platforms. This was a reaction to Bill C-18; legislation that requires the company to pay news outlets for their content that appeared on Facebook or Instagram.

This is just one reason why we cannot forget that social media is a business. Meta, for example, reported a net profit of $23.1 billion in 2022.1

Lurking beneath what we see online is a lot of money changing hands; messages and advertising bought and paid for by organizations and people who can afford to make their voice louder and have it reach farther.

Collecting your data is more important to those companies than ensuring you see truthful, factchecked information. Algorithms on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, X (Twitter), Tik Tok, and more, evolve constantly to make more money and do not care that you just want to connect with the people and topics you care about.

It is tough to rely on social media as a necessity to communicate when faced with the inherent problems of those platforms. But,

for many people, 'if it's not on social, it didn’t happen,' which is concerning because it implies that people are not going out of their way to find information, but relying mostly or entirely on their social news feeds.

Information that triggers an emotional response goes viral quickly, reaching millions of people in a short time. If a post triggers a strong emotion in you – excitement, sadness, anger, fear – it is a good sign that you should take time before you like, share, or comment on it: learn more, uncover the sources, and develop an opinion.

As the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) sky rockets, we must be more vigilant about what we see. From ‘deep fakes’ where it looks, sounds, and acts like the person it is intended to be; to footage or photos that just seem off; be critical of what you see.

Check sources. Check alternative sources, too. It can be hard to know where truth begins and ends, but when we stop caring where information comes from, we are more likely to be taken advantage of, and have our emotions preyed upon.

The province and country are headed toward elections in the next few years. Going beyond social media feeds, outside of our go-to news sources, and being open to other opinions and discussion are, and always will be, vital to staying informed.

Legitimate trust-worthy sources do exist on social media, but you must do the work and seek them out. You owe it to yourself to be sure about what you consume and what builds your opinions on the things that matter to you.

Many parts of the world are in deep humanitarian crisis and it is difficult to find moments of peace and joy amidst news that seems more horrific by the day. I wish that all our members are able to find some much-needed comfort, relief, and care among family and friends

Thank you to all our incredible Union members for your hard work and commitment to your communities. I wish you all the best the New Year can bring.

In Solidarity,

Kelly Tosato treasurer@ufcw175.com