Facebook Is Suggesting Religious Groups For Me to Join, and I’m Not Happy About It
Facebook had a major update recently. My profile and newsfeed look completely different. It’s harder to read comment threads, it’s definitely harder to make posts, and things feel like they’ve gravitated toward a dystopian novel. What stage of late capitalism are we in?
Today I noticed it was suggesting groups for me to join. I would actually like to leave groups rather than add myself into more of these. It suggested that I join several outdoor clubs and kayaking groups, which I’ve kayaked twice in my entire life. The other groups it suggested were atheist groups and how to raise my children in a non-fundamentalist way. Also, I don’t have children.
I don’t want Facebook to suggest any kind of religious or philosophical groups to me. It’s none of the algorithm's business as to what I believe or don’t believe. I’m not an atheist, but no one on Facebook needs to know what I think about God, gods, deities, celestial beings, the supernatural, ghosts, the afterlife, Richard Dawkins, chakra balancing, and the likes. I blatantly have my religious views unlisted for a reason (or many reasons).
I don’t have a problem with atheists. In fact, I take it as a slight compliment that the algorithm has determined I come off as rational and intelligent — I guess that’s what it has discovered? The problem is that Facebook shouldn’t be suggesting religious or political groups to people. This crosses a boundary. I don’t want social media advocating for what I should believe and trying to align me with a particular group or groups. My views shouldn’t be so simplistic that I should be boxed in and grouped with certain people with the ultimate goal of — selling stuff to us. I don’t want to be put into an echo chamber. I want to read what people think from every angle of faith.
Just because I read something doesn’t mean I agree with it. Just because I’m friends with someone doesn’t mean we have carbon copy beliefs. Just because I hit the “like” button doesn’t mean I pledge my soul to it.
Facebook Is Promoting Echo Chambers
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