[dorlomin]

Link

Discusses how algorithms are now the information gatekeepers for us.

Nothing most wont have surmised but its a nice to bring into focus how the net is not news neutral.

[Tanada]

This process is really obvious on Social Media like Twitter and FaceBook. Their system recognizes what stories you click on, which is how they get ad revenue. The system then goes to the trouble of feeding you more stories like the ones you clicked on to try and increase the income stream for the company.

[Cog]

To whatever extent possible, I try to find the actual news conferences of policy makers and try to analyze what they are saying. I despise the sound bites that that the MSM feeds us. I want to hear it all in context. Fox news is guilty of the sound bite nonsense as well.

CSPAN is a valuable resource for me. Also BBC, RT, and other assorted foreign media.

It is funny that dorlomin uses moveon.org as a source for his story. They are the most partisan hacks in the universe.

[Pops]

and that's from 5 years ago
here are a couple ideas
Blow your cookies regularly
use "do not track" setting and/or plugin
use "incognito" or similar when you browse
don't "personalize" your web search/browser/newsfeed
use neutral MSM sites for news, Reuters, USA today
you could use a proxy but that may be overkill

In addition to Ts point, don't believe anything on FB or twitter if you want an objective view, after all you choose what to read, who to follow, they will likely be an echo

Generally don't believe anything that doesn't at least get a mention in a mainstream news source, has some actual named sources, authoritative (not just confirmative) data points.
If you are that interested, find someone actively trying to debunk the story, I find they usually come up with better logic than me and think of things/arguments I haven't.

[Subjectivist]

Wasn't it Sam Clemens aka Mark Twain who said, "Don't believe anything you read and only half of what you hear."?

[dbruning]

The media isn't about educating/informing anymore, it's about profit, swaying public opinion, and that horrible new click-bait crap is pure evil.

Hence the original saying of "trust, but verify" doesn't even work for me anymore, now it's "distrust, verify, and let them earn your confidence in them"....and the MSM regularly fails to earn that trust.

I consider this forum a decent place to learn...and ironically it's because we have so many posters constantly warring to promote their individual views. Because of that, people regularly cite where they are getting their information from, in fact sources being cited is pretty much demanded or you are dismissed...which makes it easier for me to follow up and decide for myself who and what I choose to believe.

I have met the Internet filter....and it is me.

[DesuMaiden]

It is hard to find reliable information on the Internet because most of the information you see online is unreliable. As such, not many people on the Internet have the most accurate worldview. Like other people mentioned in this thread, it is best to avoid social media, like Facebook and Twitter, if you want to find reliable info. Another thing to consider is to rely more on books for deep, intellectual research, and just use the Internet as a starting point for research. Then use books from after that. Or use a combination of reliable websites to guide you to which reliable books you should be reading.

After spending nearly 14 years online, I've seen how popular bunk is online. Nonsense-riddden "documentaries" on subjects like the NWO (New World Order), Federal Reserve conspiracies, ChemTrails, and UFOs typically have a lot more views than factual documentaries. I believe this is the case because nonsense and hype sells better because it is easier to believe in than facts and evidence. This also reflects the general scientific illteracy of the public because if they were more scientifically literate, they wouldn't believe in so much nonsense.

[careinke]

The media isn't about educating/informing anymore, it's about profit, swaying public opinion, and that horrible new click-bait crap is pure evil.

Hence the original saying of "trust, but verify" doesn't even work for me anymore, now it's "distrust, verify, and let them earn your confidence in them"....and the MSM regularly fails to earn that trust.

I consider this forum a decent place to learn...and ironically it's because we have so many posters constantly warring to promote their individual views. Because of that, people regularly cite where they are getting their information from, in fact sources being cited is pretty much demanded or you are dismissed...which makes it easier for me to follow up and decide for myself who and what I choose to believe.

I have met the Internet filter....and it is me.

It's a form of thinking that is no longer taught in government schools, with maybe the exception of STEM schools. Some common names: critical thinking, common sense?

[careinke]

It is hard to find reliable information on the Internet because most of the information you see online is unreliable. As such, not many people on the Internet have the most accurate worldview. Like other people mentioned in this thread, it is best to avoid social media, like Facebook and Twitter, if you want to find reliable info. Another thing to consider is to rely more on books for deep, intellectual research, and just use the Internet as a starting point for research. Then use books from after that. Or use a combination of reliable websites to guide you to which reliable books you should be reading.

After spending nearly 14 years online, I've seen how popular bunk is online. Nonsense-riddden "documentaries" on subjects like the NWO (New World Order), Federal Reserve conspiracies, ChemTrails, and UFOs typically have a lot more views than factual documentaries. I believe this is the case because nonsense and hype sells better because it is easier to believe in than facts and evidence. This also reflects the general scientific illteracy of the public because if they were more scientifically literate, they wouldn't believe in so much nonsense.

I love to "collect" conspiracy theories, they make for great stories and lively conversations.