Drowning in information? Feel like Google’s search results are too hard to wade through? And never mind the fire hose that is Twitter. Or Facebook.
Maybe it’s time for filtered search.
Actually, this isn’t a new idea; it’s just one that we mostly ignore. Your browser has some sort of “safe searching” mechanism built into it, but most people don’t give it a thought. And there’s no good reason to; if you ask what is being filtered by your browser you’re not going to get a real answer.
But what if there was a filtering mechanism for your searches that you had specifically asked for?
Not surprisingly, there are several. Also not surprisingly, they’re religion-based. Want a sanitized version of the Internet that complies with your Christian, Muslim, or Jewish beliefs? You’re good.
As I started writing this piece I thought I had a conclusion to draw that would be somehow earth-shaking. But I don’t, or at least I can’t express one that won’t sound like a rant against censorship or religion as censorship. But let’s go farther: censorship may have a genuine, useful place when it’s self-directed rather than thrust upon you.
The question is: how much time are you willing to spend seeking out appropriate self-filters? Most people won’t do it unless they have some overseeing entity (deity?) guiding them toward their idea of what should be seen and what shouldn’t.
Yikes. This could become a discussion of Net Neutrality.
Wait . . . it just did.
