Sorry to burst your bubble! Developing an Educational Application to Raise Awareness About Filter Bubbles Among Teenagers

Abstract

The algorithmic personalisation of online information can cause users to end up in so-called filter bubbles, which limit exposure to opposing viewpoints. Dutch teenagers are not aware of this online personalisation, and schools struggle to educate them on this. To help teachers and educators address the effects and dangers of online personalisation, the anti-filter bubble application project was established by an interdisciplinary research team. In this study, employing an iterative user-centred approach by interviewing students and teachers, I developed and tested two activities and an overall structure for the application. Additionally, I performed an evaluation study using one of the prototypes, investigating the influence of the presence of a physical artefact on knowledge gains and students’ experience of that activity. Results showed that while students and teachers have competing interests, the presence of a physical object is likely to improve the subsequent class discussion. Along with the prototypes, recommendations for future development, and the evaluation study, I also contribute recommendations for future HCI research and developments with teenagers.