This was a scary, yet necessary, read. It is hard to believe the role that algorithms have played in culture, especially because culture feels more artistic and free flowing than the logical stiff world that dominates the other side of the brain. However, after reading this book, I began to see the marriage of the two and have re-evaluated my understanding of culture and its original limitations to just the social sciences.

Chayka's book explores how tech/algorithms/social media are making our culture boring and flat: cafes across the world look the same, musicians must pander to Spotify, and influencers might think they are self-employed but are actually working for algorithms.

This is a dense book with many literary, cultural, philosophical references that deserves re-reading because the topic of this book is such an important one. I was fascinated by the first half of this book which deep dives into the value and importance of taste. However, as the book develops, and we see more examples, Chayka's personal subjectivity colors and experiences with the Internet of yore colors much of the book.

Longer review in my january 2024 reading wrap up on my youtube channel, Kiran Reader

*3.5
Filterworld is an interesting look at algorithms and how they affect our online experience. I was hoping for more of a deeper dive into the political/philosophical ramifications and was a bit more disappointed on that end.

More informative and impressive than I imagined. Chayka gives excellent examples to illustrate his points and there is a lot of information that will make the reader think "wow.... I never knew that but it makes total sense." It's an eye opener about our current world.
I will admit that I skimmed some of it but even with picking and choosing I found it to be a very necessary read for our world today. Extra points for making a difficult topic readable! Highly recommended!

Thank you to NetGalley for an advance copy of this book. It's an eye opener!

What a great read that is so educational about algorithms that Devine our current world as we know it. Before reading this book, I had never thought about this and now I’m always analyzing my experiences and choices. I recommend this read to anyone living in our current environment.

As a relatively computer-dumb person who just accepts all terms and conditions, this was a really readable history that was informative in a nice way. It's definitely something I didin't want to know about but i'm glad I finally read about how it all works and the history and use of algorithms. It feels academic, but at the same time is digeestable, which to me is the greatest compliment I can give.

Filterworld is a somewhat meandering exploration of the author’s conflicted relationship with algorithmic culture. He is, by his own admission, a frequent user and fan of recommendation algorithms — as exemplified in an affinity for bland instagram-aesthetic cafes and Airbnbs — but is also deeply concerned about the effects these algorithms have. The organization of the book is a little scattershot, but following the author’s view on curation, we’re exposed to the subjects he wants to talk about in the order he wishes to talk about them. This is a well-written, interesting synthesis of a number of different aspects of the impact of algorithms on culture.

Filterworld is thoroughly well written: intelligent, well researched, and lively in its storytelling and journalistic details. It is correct about the deadening that algorithms affect on culture and ourselves, and therefore "important." But it also exemplifies much of the blandness that it decries. For one, Chayka's taste, as many of his examples convey, is itself boring, normal. For those who think little about culture and/or algorithms generally, and especially those who know little about the latter, Filterworld will be insightful, even revelatory. I was looking for weightier fare, hoping that Chayka would wade with more substance into issues philosophical and political. Whether because of internalized algorithmic incentives, his publisher, or his sense of his own limitations, Chayka doesn't really do that. Algorithms are bad because they are anti-diversity. Filterworld, as a book, is risk-free.

I don't want to give it fewer than four stars, because I know that that will hurt it. And there is so much that's so much worse and still maintains a 4.8 star average. But we, the public, must demand that art--and cultural criticism can be rigorous art--be more ambitious, that it demand more of us.