The Future of Filtering

As I open up one of my favorite websites, these are the first five things I see:

“Everything happens for a reason. #lifemotto”

“)))))):”

“i really want to see the vow when it comes out.... pathetic.”

“Burger King doesn't deliver anymore. What a bummer.”

“just destroyed my nails doing the dishes #homemakerproblems”

             Apart from each other, each snippet appears to be an isolated thought. However, all together, they encompass my up to the minute timeline on Twitter. These 140 character or less updates have become commonplace in today’s web-obsessed society. Yet, some question, “is the constant update of information necessary?” In the article, “Overload #Everything,” journalist Joab Jackson explores such a question. By the end of the article, he comes to the conclusion that when used the right way, Twitter can be a tool for the greater good. However, even in the article, Zeyenep Tufecki, a professor at UMBC, points out that people don’t realize how public these profiles are which can result in a “collapsing of boundaries.”

       

          In an effort to confront these collapsing boundaries, Clay Shirky presents what he calls “Filter Failure” a synopsis of what seems to be the problem with social media and other websites today. Shirky accurately acknowledges that the idea of information overload is nothing new. Even in the article, Mr. Jackson points out that such “micro messages” won’t be going anywhere any time soon. Although the platforms we use may change, the concept won’t. Cleary, the problem isn’t the abundance of information; rather, it is how do we filter it?

             Many may question, “so what?” or “why should I care?” But, as Shirky points out, we no longer have a “personal life.” Almost every thing we do is online, and it can become difficult to filter it from others. Shirky cites the example of a colleague who wanted to privately change her relationship status on Facebook, but unfortunately was unable to do so. He believes that managing privacy feels like “an unnatural act.”

            If it is so unnatural to us, how exactly are we to change it? Shirky does not provide a concrete response he only suggests a possible mental shift of rethinking social norms, but I think a solution is out there. Since this video has been created, more ways of filtering have been brought into the arena of social networks. Facebook now has settings that allow you to hide posts from specific people. For example, if I don’t want my Dad to see some photos, I can easily click a button to change the settings on those photos. Similarly, Google +, a new addition to the social network area, allows people to put their friends into “circles.” This revolutionary idea makes it easier to control who sees what content; it's a great safety feature for younger users.  I can post specifically and separately to family members, close friends, or colleagues with ease. While filtering may have been a problem of the past, such new tools are clearly the solution of the future.