Eli Pariser, author of "Filter Bubble," provides insight into how the personalized Web is shaping our identity. He argues that what is good for consumers is not necessarily good for citizens (18). The Internet provides us with answers to our questions, but perhaps that is the problem at hand. Today we live in a filter bubble that “radically alters the way we encounter ideas and information” (9). On December 4, 2009, the era of personalization began; Our computer monitors have become one-way mirrors that reflect consumer interests (3). We assume that when we search for a term on Google, we all see the same results, but the algorithm suggests what is especially best for you (2). Our behavior has become a commodity to be bought and sold where each click signal sends a stream of information to be auctioned off to the highest commercial bidder (7). Thus, the Internet is disguised as a democratic public sphere that strategically adapts our search results to thereby limit individual access to information. Throughout the novel I reflected critically on my past personalization experiences at Google and Facebook. I was already aware of the cookies in my browser and therefore it is no coincidence that I see familiar advertisements. In a competitive market, York University also strives to do this by staying up to date with its social networks. For example, York's catchphrase "this is my moment" often appears while streaming videos on YouTube. They have access to my information because I regularly log in to the York website with my student account. If I look at the far right corner of my Facebook feed right now, there are ads ranging from Indigo, KISS 92.5, and Sports Chek; information based on sponsorship, viewers, location... in the center of the sheet... made invisible to the public domain. A democracy requires seeing things from another person's point of view, but instead we are more closed in our own bubbles (5). The 21st century has given rise to a fast-paced economy where consumers want everything to be clear and simple. Will knowing the filter bubble prevent me from using the Internet for social networking, education, or entertainment? Of course not, which shows how dependent we are on technology. Sociologist Danah Boyd states, “If we are not careful, we will develop the psychological equivalent of obesity” (14, Pariser). The future looks bleak and I fear that children exposed to the Internet may change early. Our knowledge is often distorted and comes to us second-hand, manipulated and filtered through the lens of the media under the control of other human beings.