BECID WEBINAR | Algorithms and information-seeking habits
On 10 August, BECID held another webinar for professionals working in the GLAM sector – galleries, libraries, archives and museums. As has become customary, each webinar brings a new direction and a new focus. This time, we explored social media algorithms, changing information-seeking habits, and their impact on our everyday information environment.
What role do algorithms play in determining which information reaches us and how we understand it? Why do we see certain content in our social media feeds but not other perspectives? And how can we find and recognise reliable information at a time when we have access to more content than ever before?
The Estonian-language discussion was led by BECID media literacy expert Gretel Juhansoo, whose presentation focused on how recommendation algorithms work, as well as the opportunities and risks of algorithmically curated information environments.
The discussion examined how people’s information-seeking practices have changed, why emotionally charged content often gains greater visibility on social media, how filter bubbles are formed, and why personalised, algorithmically curated feeds can be so appealing to the human brain. We also looked at practical ways to take greater control of our information environment and engage with online content more consciously.
The Latvian breakout room was hosted by Jānis Sildniks, Head of Social Media at Delfi.lv and host of the programme Science or Stupidity. The Lithuanian breakout room was led by Gintarė Ribokaitė, Head of Social Media and SEO Optimization at APG Media, who presented on social media algorithms and the growing role of AI in social media.
Across the sessions, one important point became clear: the exact mechanisms behind social media algorithms remain closely guarded secrets. Detailed information about how individual platforms rank and recommend content is limited outside the companies themselves – and even internally, access to this knowledge can be restricted. This makes fully understanding the influence of algorithms particularly challenging.
We also discussed how recommendation systems can gradually lead users down “rabbit holes” and into information bubbles, repeatedly reinforcing certain types of content while limiting exposure to different perspectives. At the same time, one principle remains highly relevant: content is still king. Algorithms increasingly reward content that feels relevant, engaging and, importantly, authentic.
This connects to another interesting development: a growing resistance to AI-generated content. Even as AI becomes increasingly integrated into social media platforms, audiences appear to place renewed value on content that feels genuinely human and authentic.
Most importantly, the webinar was not only about understanding algorithms, but also about learning how to navigate them. Participants received practical recommendations for stepping outside algorithm-driven bubbles – from reviewing social media account settings and diversifying sources to actively reducing repetitive or unwanted content in their feeds.
The webinar offered both a clearer understanding of how algorithms shape what we see, discover and consume online, and practical tools for navigating today’s information environment more consciously and critically.
Until next time!