Filterworld and Why My Feeds Are Making Me Dumber

October 3, 2025 1:06 AM Subscribe

I recently finished reading Filterworld: How Algorithms Flattened Culture by Kyle Chayka, and it offers a compelling critique of our algorithm-driven media landscape. Chayka, known for his work with The New Yorker, argues that platforms like TikTok and Netflix have transformed our cultural experiences into a homogenized, algorithmically curated environment he dubs “Filterworld.” The book suggests that instead of passively consuming content dictated by algorithms, we should take a more active role in curating our media. Chayka recommends strategies such as creating personalized content pools, engaging with niche communities, and even undertaking an “algorithmic cleanse” to rediscover authentic tastes and interests. To quote Chayka “We live in an age where attention is currency, and the default settings of our apps are designed to capture it endlessly. Filterworld is my attempt to provide a guide for stepping back, curating your feeds, and reclaiming your focus.” This Radio NZ web site provides both a written and video interview with Kyle Chayka. One of the best chapters in the book is on the need for human curation and how he gave himself a detox from sites like; Spotify, Facebook and Twitter.

Two curated sites Chayka recommends are idagio.com a curated Classical music site that introduces users to interesting classical music and The Criterion Collection an eclectic site providing film criticism and alternative film.

Chayka comments the term curation has become an over used cliche, now utilised to promote activities such as Real Estate marketing.

I purchased the book on Kindle and enjoyed it in parts but found it overly repetitive, so I can only partly recommend it as a read.