More of the Same: Website Revisits in the Context of Filter Bubbles and Echo Chambers

Abstract

The purpose of this thesis is to assess to what extent New Zealanders engage in website revisits versus serendipitous browsing in the context of filter bubbles and echo chambers. Specifically, this thesis will argue that: 1) website revisit rates provide a more comprehensive means for assessing whether filter bubbles or echo chambers manifest online than past research; 2) a positive correlation between the level of overall browsing and revisit rates points to an increased likelihood of belonging to tailored online worlds the more we engage with the Web; 3) the dynamic above is identified in New Zealander’s browsing based on a nationally representative panel. Past research on filter bubbles and echo chambers usually focused on sole platform types (e.g., blog linking patterns, search engines, or social networks). However, we might belong to filter bubbles or echo chambers on Facebook but not on other online platforms we access. Website revisits rates, primarily researched in the computer science area and reflecting the proportion of websites people visit that were accessed previously, addresses the limitation above by considering all browsing activity. This method allows us to decode echo chambers and filter bubbles as reinforcing loops: if our online behaviour is repetitive and we usually visit more popular domains more frequently, this further exposes us to the same commercial interests, opinions, and personalisation algorithms. Results based on the Nielsen Online Ratings panel reveal this dynamic. That is, people’s browsing is highly repetitive: when going to a new page, the probability it belongs to a domain we have visited within the same month ranges from 93% to 94% between March 2018 and May 2020, with 6 to 7% accounting for serendipitous browsing or accessing new online platforms. Furthermore, increases in pageviews at an overall level or across specific demographic groups are associated with higher return rates, pointing to deep engagement with a limited set of domains driving higher Web usage rather than exploring it. Additionally, more popular platforms, domain categories and subcategories are revisited more frequently by their audiences. Therefore, we both seek and are exposed to content presented through a familiar lens by online giants.