The ‘sameness’ of style, music, art, and food is becoming more apparent, according to New Yorker staff writer Kyle Chayka. In his new book, Filterworld: How Algorithms Flattened Culture, Chayka argues that algorithms, which direct our attention to what works best for digital platforms, are to blame. These algorithms are seen in Google searches, Facebook feeds, and online ads, and they have led to a decrease in individual decision-making.
Chayka wants people to understand how these forces shape our tastes and stop allowing computer-generated formulas to dictate our experiences and choices. The term “filterworld” refers to the environment created by algorithms that are adjusted to what we might like to consume. Chayka explains that these algorithms judge based on engagement, leading to a reinforcement of homogeneity.
Chayka notes that the influence of algorithms extends beyond digital platforms like YouTube, Spotify, or Netflix, and into physical spaces like cafes and restaurants. As our consumption decisions increasingly move online, physical spaces have begun to adapt to popular online aesthetics. Chayka recalls finding the same aesthetic in coffee shops around the world, characterized by reclaimed wood furniture, avocado toast on the menu, and latte art.
While gatekeepers of information have always existed, traditionally in the form of television stations, magazines, and newspapers, Chayka warns that having algorithms as new gatekeepers presents its own problems. He argues that algorithms lack feelings, creativity, and a human soul, and while they are marketed as providing personalized recommendations, they often promote what is most convenient for the platform. For instance, Netflix adjusts the thumbnails of shows and movies to make them more appealing, manipulating viewers into thinking they like what’s already there.
Chayka admits that exploring algorithms has made him question his own taste, particularly in television, as he often watches what’s recommended without knowing if it truly moves him.
