The "Food" in your "Feed" — Blue Line Ethics

For this exercise, you will collect data from an algorithmic feed as a starting point for class discussion and reflection. This is essentially a guided media diary, with the following table provided. Use the final column to collect additional data related to some information you are curious about (e.g. carousels, music, account follower count, etc.).

Data Template

I recommend completing this exercise on real paper (either in your own notebook or using the PDF available here).

Post	Account Name	Account Type	Ad (Yes/No)	Video (Yes/No)	Additional Data
Example	thisisuic	school	No	No	123 likes
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Discussion Questions

Review the posts and write a brief reflection (100–200 words) to help you prepare for class discussion. The reflection is open-ended, however, you may want to reflect on the following questions:

What sticks out to you? What surprised you?
What patterns do you notice in your feed?
How many “suggested” posts did you see (from non-subscribed / non-followed accounts)?
How many posts were from friends? Influencers? Advertisers? Other?
How many posts contained multiple images? Shopping links? Other features?
Was there any “borderline” content in your feed?
Who shaped this feed, and how?
What questions do you have about your feed?