The power of algorithms
Are you ready to engage with one of the hottest issues of our time? Then get started with this unit, that is about cookies and algorithms: their meaning, their functions and their impact on you and on the whole society.
Warm up
What do you think:
If you and your buddy search online for the same thing using two different devices,
★ will you get the same entries?
★ will you see the same advertisement?
Share your answers with your buddy and explain why you say yes or no.
Done?
If you have an internet connection and devices usually used by different people (e.g. your own smartphones), try it out and see if you were right or wrong!
If not, don’t worry: in a few minutes you will understand if you guessed correctly.
Just scroll down!
Learn
First of all, it’s important to have clear in mind what cookies are.
Check out the interactive presentation: no matter if you don’t know anything about cookies or you do know a lot already, this file gives you the chance to have a great conversation with your buddy
Tip: Take your time to do the activities without scrolling down too quickly.
If you share your thoughts with your buddy as suggested, you will really get much more out of it!
Dive in 1
Companies elaborate the information they get through cookies and other strategies (e.g. scripts) using algorithms.
What are algorithms and what impact do they have on what you do and what you think and who you become?
Go through the presentation and you will get the chance to share your thoughts with your buddy on this question!
Tip: Resist the temptation of scrolling down to the results before you have got your own! You can do it!
START
Dive in 2
What do you think is the problem with filter bubbles?
- for oneself
- for personal relationships
- for society
Write these three dimensions in three parallel circles on a sheet.
Brainstorm problems related to each of these levels and write them down around the right circle. You have 5’ per circle.
Done?
You have certainly found many great points.
Check if you got also these ones
Create 1
How deep do you think you are in a filter bubble?
If you speak English, German or French you can take this test:
QUIZ
Otherwise you can answer these questions and evaluate yourself the answers.
Share your results with your buddy: what has surprised you?
Done?
Get the five suggestions by Myles Bess
and then think yourself of strategies (of any kind) about how you can make sure that you keep your eyes open and your sight bright.
Choose one of them and make a short tutorial to make it easy for your audience to put it in practice.
Create 2
At this point, you might probably want to apply some of these strategies to safeguard your privacy and don’t deepen into filter bubbles.
Great!
Though wait: Feel like doing an experiment first?
Go here!
When you meet your buddy again, discuss your results and prepare a presentation.
Go here for the details
Reflect
If you both think of social media now, what words come into your mind?
Tell them to each other while you write them down on the same sheet. When you are done, take a picture of them and make out of it your common postcard!
Download the free KIDS4ALLL app and your wish comes true!
