NewsStream
Public Beta
🛡️ The "Algorithmic Self" & Polarization
This prototype tests the "My Algorithm" Filter Bubble Extension.
📄 Read Literature Review / Proposal Draft
The Hypothesis: When users believe a feed is an extension of their own identity ("My Algorithm"), they form a psychological shield. They are less likely to flag extreme content as "biased" because acknowledging the bias would feel like a critique of their own digital self.
In contrast, users on the "Public Feed" (Group 1) are quicker to reject the exact same content as external propaganda.
Theoretical Basis:
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Jawad et al. (2024)
"Investigating how AI Personalization... Influence Self-Perception & Group Identity"
"Personalized content had a powerful influence on users' relations with their groups... associated with poor quality of social interaction and heightened social polarization." doi.org/10.47067/ramss.v7i4.397 -
Norton, Mochon, & Ariely (2012)
"The IKEA effect: When labor leads to love." doi.org/10.1016/j.jcps.2011.08.002 -
Cheney-Lippold (2011)
"A New Algorithmic Identity: Soft Biopolitics..." doi.org/10.1177/0263276411424420 -
Sundar & Marathe (2010)
"Personalization versus customization: The importance of agency..." doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2958.2010.01377.x