2. Absorbable Headlines

My second proposal is Absorbable Headlines, short, engaging “fun facts” about topics users usually skip, shown within their personalized feed.

Young users often only read headlines and rarely open full articles, especially on topics they find boring. But since many headlines are more clickbait than informative, they don’t actually learn much. This idea puts key information directly on the main screen, disguised as quick, easy-to-read facts.

For example, a user who mostly reads about baking or celebrities might occasionally see a short, fact-style post about politics or the environment, helping them absorb important news effortlessly while scrolling.

3. Competency Tracker

My latest proposal is the Competency Tracker, a feature that shows each user’s skill level (or interest level) in different topics to motivate them through gamification.

I tested several ways to display these levels, but testers found it discouraging when their results were compared to average users. Most people preferred a simpler system with three levels: Rookie, Competent, and Expert. These levels are automatically determined based on factors like reading history and quiz results, and are displayed next to each topic.

Reflection

It’s easy to say filter bubbles can be solved by improving the algorithm. But algorithms work behind the scenes, invisible to users. People don’t know why they see certain content or what’s being left out. They just trust the system and scroll.

With this project, I wanted to make that process more transparent. These ideas help users understand their own activity and what they might be missing. By making things visible, users get the chance to take part and challenge their own bubbles.