filter bubble

The term filter bubble, fiber bubble, is used and implemented in the web technology of search engines. It is a mathematical algorithm that analyzes user behavior and predicts possible future demand based on it.

In order to determine a user's current demand, all available information about his or her previous buying behavior, purchasing decisions, location, education level, and much more is collected and used to infer the possible current demand. In the case of search engines, the filter bubble can be recognized by the purchase or service offers that are often displayed immediately after a keyword is entered during further searches. These offers are directly related to the previous search entry. On the other hand, when searching for a specific item, other items may also be offered that are directly related to the actual item or that were also purchased by other users after the purchase of the first item.

Such a behavioral analysis can also refer to the political, sporting or social opinions and views of a user. And concluding from this, only present search results that correspond to the user's opinion. This behavior can be explained by the fact that every user prefers to see his own opinion confirmed than to be confronted with another opinion.