As the expanding pool of content is recycled and passed around on the internet, the benefit is that ideas can be refined by a diverse group of people. But, just as before, negative consequences also unfold. Eventually, the content we consume becomes homogeneous and we assume that the small segment of ideologies to which we are exposed are reflective of the whole truth for much of the world. The forest is ignored for the trees so to speak. User’s tend to dwell in online communities that reinforce previously held beliefs. As a result, these small communities wield great power of persuasion and employ confirmation bias to secure a loyal following. The algorithms created by platforms work to amplify the voice of similar minds, even if they tote toxic and unfounded opinions, to promote continued return. Previous media, such as books, newspapers and television could not so accurately accommodate content to specific individuals like the internet can.

Entire populations received the same content with the only discrepancies being in the viewer’s interpretation. The audience had to decide which sources of information were accurate. Now the moderators of the internet do that for us and jam the news stories and memes into our thankful mouths and we have no time to breathe. Additional rewards, in the form of likes and shares, tap into the most primitive reserves of human nature, triggering an irrepressible need to pull out a phone and seek out new pabulum and create it ourselves. To scroll through a carefully curated array of posts, images and videos that you have no choice but to like.