Occasionally I'll read a book that really shakes me up. Eli Pariser's new book The Filter Bubble is one of those.
In it, Pariser describes the increasing use of our Internet search history to personalize our Internet experiences. Most of the largest web companies - Google, Facebook, Twitter - develop algorithms to ensure we get the information that we are most likely to want.
On one hand, this is something we all know. If I search for running shoes, it's kind of neat that I get ads for running shoes.
On the other hand, I find the implications disturbing because the algorithms don't just apply to things we might buy. They apply to everything - including politics, social issues, religion.