For the longest time – maybe always – the narrative around the consumer-facing side of the web and mobile technologies has been about bringing people together. Think about the early advertising for cellular and internet service providers: they were all some variation of the idea of connecting with (insert loved one here) from far away, or discovering new friends, new connections – whether business or personal. How did every IRC chat start? A/S/L – ‘90s shorthand for tell me who you are.

But cast your eyes around your social feeds today, and instead of communities, we seem to be seeking echo chambers, finding the people who already agree with us and then letting that send us spinning into deepening confirmation biases.