Participants will be able to understand various ways algorithms help shape the content they see on social media and apply these understandings to their own social media feed(s). 

Materials

• [Choose one different Meet Quinn Participant Handout (i.e., from the Meet Quinn Handouts numbered one to four) to give to each group (you will divide participants into four groups in this learning experience).] Handout: Meet Quinn [educator version and participant versions]

• Each page on the following handout has 10 social media posts to be cut out. Please choose six to eight pages (i.e., 24-32 posts) to print out. Provide each of the four groups of participants with these 24-32 posts in an envelope.] Handout: Social Media Posts

• Four envelopes [Place the 24-32 cut out social media posts in one envelope per group (four groups).]   

• Projector and projection screen OR, per participant, a handout of the full set of information about Quinn

• [For participants] Computers or mobile devices with Internet access

Resources

• Social Media Algorithms: Why You See What You See – by Sang Ah Kim (Georgetown Law Technology Review)

Activity #1: An Imperfect Feed

SAY: 

• Many of you probably have an account on at least one type of social media platform — whether that might be Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, or a whole number of other platforms.

• Some of you might also have multiple accounts on different platforms for different purposes. You might use one platform to check out the news, another to connect with your friends, and yet another to watch the latest viral video. 

ASK: 

• What social media platform(s) do you use most often?

• Does anyone have multiple accounts on a single platform?

• What do you usually see on your social media account(s)? If you have multiple accounts on one platform, do you see different content (e.g., photos, videos, text-based posts, ads, etc.) on each account?

• What do you think determines what you see (in terms of content such as photos, videos, text-based posts, ads, etc.)? 

SAY:

• In this context, let’s think about the concept of an algorithm. An algorithm is a clearly given set of step-by-step instructions to solve a problem or accomplish a task. [To learn more about what an algorithm is, please see the “What Is an Algorithm?” learning experience.]

ASK:

• What do you think is the role of algorithms on social media? 

SAY:

• On social media, algorithms are continually being designed to decide what you see. For instance, algorithms can decide how much content you see from your friends, family, and groups versus public content from businesses, brands, and media. 

• Algorithms can also decide what content format to prioritize, such as video, text-based posts, or images.

• Most social media platforms keep track of your engagement with posts by friends, family, and groups, as well as your engagement with public posts from businesses, brands, and media. These platforms’ algorithms can predict what you want to see based on these interactions. 

• The ultimate goal is to put content in front of you that you are more likely to engage with by putting posts in your feed from the same, or similar, people and pages you have interacted with before.

ASK:

• To what extent do you feel that your social media feed(s) represent your preferences and interests?

• Have you ever come across a post in your feed(s) that stood out to you as irrelevant / inappropriate / thematically not aligned with your context and background? Would you feel comfortable sharing with the group why you felt this way? Why do you think the algorithms were showing this content?

• Are there any examples of social media posts that stood out to you as positive / timely / thematically very much aligned with your context and background? Would you feel comfortable sharing with the group why you felt this way?

• Let’s suppose an algorithm works so that it only shows you content that you’re 100% interested in. What might be the risk or downside to that? Do you think an algorithm should be programmed in such a way that, at times, it shows surprising content (i.e., serendipity)?

• Have you ever seen posts in your feed(s) where the content (e.g., a post addressing politics, or civic engagement issues) seemed suspicious / like it was intended to deceive you? If so, how often? Would anyone feel comfortable sharing an example of this type of post? What was your response when you saw it? [Some participants may have, for instance, dismissed the post, reported it, or talked about it with a friend or family member.]  

SAY:

• To help us think a little more deeply about how algorithms shape social media feeds, let’s engage in a group activity! 

[Divide participants into four groups, and provide each group with one of the four Meet Quinn Handouts, and the set of 24-32 social media posts in an envelope. There should be four envelopes — one for each group.]

SAY:

• In your groups, first, take a look at the set of posts, and the information about Quinn provided on your handout. Next, select up to 18 posts and arrange them in an order that you think would create a feed relevant to Quinn. Think about what kind of content Quinn would most enjoy engaging with (e.g., time spent looking at, liking, clicking on, sharing, or resharing). 

[Give participants 15 minutes to engage in this group exercise.] 

[Reconvene all participants, with participants sitting in their group. Ask groups to designate a speaker to present their created feed. Have each group briefly explain 1) what information they received about Quinn, 2) which posts they selected and why, and 3) of the different pieces of information about Quinn provided on their handout, the content they focused on to create the feed.]

ASK:

• Was there any information about Quinn that you feel was particularly useful in creating the feed?

• Was there information about Quinn that you feel was less useful?

• Which pieces of information about Quinn did you prioritize over others?

• What information about Quinn would you have wanted to have — to make the algorithm produce a feed that would be even more relevant to Quinn — that you didn’t have? Why would you want this information?

[For example, Quinn really cares about human rights. However, because participants  only had one information point about human rights (i.e., a post about gender equality), it may have been difficult to tailor the feed to specific areas of human rights. It seems that Quinn is interested in gender equality, but is she interested in other human rights issues, and if so, which ones?]

Activity #2: A Fuller Picture

SAY:

• Each group received pieces of information about Quinn. Let’s now bring all the information on Quinn together and think about how (if at all) our understanding of what an ideal feed and underlying algorithm for Quinn might be would change.

[Either show the complete set of information about Quinn (“Meet Quinn — A More Complete Picture: Educator Version”) on a projection screen or print out and share a copy with each participant.] 

ASK:

• Based on all the information you now know about Quinn, which of the existing feeds and underlying algorithms (created by the four groups) do you think Quinn would find the most engaging? Why? 

• Knowing the full sum of information, would you keep one of the existing feeds (created by the four groups) and underlying algorithms or create a new feed?

Assignment (Option 1)

[Option 1, for participants ages 11-13] SAY: 

• Now, let’s apply what you learned today about social media and algorithms to your own social media feed. Choose an account from a specific social media platform, and select the first 18 posts that appear. Identify ten variables that you think the underlying algorithm is focused on (e.g., your engagement with posts from your friend, a local clothing store, or an athletic team).  

Assignment (Option 2)

[Option 2, for participants ages 14-18] SAY: 

• For those of you interested in the data that informs the algorithm on your own social media feed, you can access and download a copy of the information that social media platforms have about you. 

  • For those who have a Facebook account, log into Facebook on a desktop computer, and, on the top right of your home page, click the downward-facing blue arrow. From there, click Settings, and then click Your Facebook Information. Then click Download Your Information. Here, you can select which pieces of information you want to download (e.g., ads, location, posts, etc.). 

  • For those who have an Instagram account, log into Instagram on a desktop computer and click on the Profile icon in the upper right-hand corner, shaped like a person, and then click on the Settings icon, which looks like a wheel. From there, click on the Privacy and Security button and scroll down to Account Data to click on View Account Data. To look at a specific type of data (e.g., current follow requests, hashtags you follow, accounts you blocked, etc.), click View All. 

• If you have both a Facebook and Instagram account, feel free to try this exercise on both of these accounts!

SAY:

• Based on this information, I’d like you to reflect, in writing, on the following questions: 

  • These files represent some of the data that Facebook and / or Instagram has collected about you. How does Facebook and / or Instagram having all of this information make you feel? Would you rather they did or didn’t have this information? 

  • Does this information seem like an accurate representation of you / your preferences? Why or why not? 

  • To what extent do you see your preferences reflected or not reflected in your feed? 

  • Is there any other information about your interests and preferences you would want Facebook and / or Instagram to know about you so that your feed is even more relevant?

  • What aspects of the information you downloaded do you think shape the algorithm that influences your feed? 

  • What other online platforms or services you engage with might affect your feed? For example, if you buy plane tickets online from a specific travel site, like Expedia, you might then see ads from this site on your social media feed(s).

Meet Quinn #1: Participant Handout

• Is 16 years old

• Best friend’s name is Sara

• Already has an iPhone 11

Likes:

• Halloween

• Music — especially K-Pop; also plays the piano

Doesn’t like:

• Milk and ice cream — is lactose intolerant

Meet Quinn #2: Participant Handout

• Preferred pronouns are she / her / hers

• Feels strongly about human rights — regularly speaks up for gender equality

Likes:

• Healthy food

Doesn’t like:

• Fashion

• TV — doesn’t own a TV. Sometimes watches Netflix

Meet Quinn #3: Participant Handout

• Preferred pronouns are she / her / hers

• Best friend’s name is Sara

• Cares about friends’ opinions

• Cares about school — sometimes stresses out about tests

Likes:

• Coffee

• Colombia — is considering a year abroad

• Halloween

• Cats — has one named Max

• Healthy food

• Music — especially K-Pop; also plays the piano

Doesn’t like:

• Fashion

• Games

Meet Quinn #4: Participant Handout

• Is 16 years old

Likes:

• Coffee

• Colombia — is considering a year abroad

• Halloween

• Cats — has one named Max

• Healthy food

• Music — especially K-Pop; also plays the piano

Doesn’t like:

• Fashion

• Games

• Milk and ice cream — is lactose intolerant

• TV — doesn’t own a TV. Sometimes watches Netflix

Meet Quinn — A More Complete Picture: Educator Handout

• Preferred pronouns are she / her / hers

• Is 16 years old

• Best friend’s name is Sara 

• Cares about friends’ opinions

• Feels strongly about human rights — regularly speaks up for gender equality

• Cares about school  — sometimes stresses out about tests

• Already has an iPhone 11

Likes:

• Coffee

• Colombia — is considering a year abroad

• Halloween

• Cats — has one named Max

• Healthy food

• Music — especially K-Pop; also plays the piano

Doesn’t like:

• Fashion

• Games

• Milk and ice cream — is lactose intolerant

• TV — doesn’t own a TV. Sometimes watches Netflix