Why Scientists Are Upset About The Facebook Filter Bubble Study

Facebook says users, not its algorithm, are responsible for the so-called filter bubble. But Facebook's own research says otherwise.

Yesterday, the journal Science released a study by Facebook employees examining what content you do (and don't) see on Facebook's news feed. Its conclusion, at first glance, was that the Facebook news feed algorithm does not keep users from seeing opinions they disagree with (a reference to the so-called filter bubble of social media, in which you assume most people agree with you because you are not exposed to other viewpoints). But after prominent media outlets covered the study's findings, data scientists began to speak up. Actually, they argued, the study has major flaws, and its conclusion suggests that the news feed algorithm does hide news stories it thinks you will disagree with.

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