Zuckerman discusses the dangers the algorithms used by corporate sites like Google, Amazon, and Netflix, which show users content based on what they've purchased or liked in the past. These types of filters make it increasingly difficult for Internet users to discover content outside their pre-existing networks.
Author and activist Eli Pariser calls it "the filter bubble." While it's nearly impossible to completely break out of it, Pariser has a great list of 10 best practices--most of them have to do with tweaking your settings on Facebook and Google--that can help.
Then there's good old serendipity. Follow links from pages you trust, and then follow links you find there. It's a tried-and-true way to discover information and people outside your filter bubble.
3. Invest in content you enjoy.Though the "like" button on Facebook often seems shallow, there are people out there working to give it more depth.
One way to do that is to get money involved. Flattr, for example, is an app that enables users to give financial support to the people who make the content they consume. Users select a monthly amount and upload it to their Flattr account. The app then divides that amount throughout the month, giving an equal share to all things you "like" or "favorite."
Though the "like" button often seems shallow, there are already people working to give it more depth.
"Flattr is a 'Like' with real value," explains the program's website. "It's about being a part of the creation of great content."
By involving money, Flattr allows users to be more conscious of their online actions and more appreciative of the humans who create their favorite content.
4. Document injustice and inform others about it.If you come across some form of injustice, document and share it. Doing so lets you harness the power of the Internet--particularly social media--to raise awareness of social justice issues both globally and locally.
Online social networks used in this way helped spread powerful emotions during Occupy Wall Street and the Arab Spring, Krznaric says. "Someone could take a photo of a young girl being killed by Iranian state security forces, and within hours hundreds of thousands of people around the world knew her name and were protesting in the streets." This example shows how networks such as Twitter can generate waves of global empathy that might not exist without them.
Injustices can take place online too. If you witness cruelty in the online spaces where you spend time, screenshot it and send it to website hosts, school officials, or others able to restore justice.
5. Join the (book) club.According to a recent study, people who read fiction tend to have a greater ability to empathize. This may have to do with readers' skill at understanding characters' thoughts and feelings. Whether it's Twilight or Jane Eyre, works of fiction require this ability--granted, some more deeply than others
Thus, virtual book and film clubs can be a great way to engage with others and develop empathy together. To get started, pick a book or film and organize a time and place--be it a live chat or real-time message board--for members to meet and share their thoughts and feelings about the material.
Need some inspiration? Check out EmpathyLibrary.com. The website specializes in books and movies that bring you deep into another person's point of view, and is full of top 10 lists and tips for putting a book club together. Anyone can access the site's book and film recommendations, and if you become a member you can add recommendations of your own.
6. Practice self-compassion.Web users have a tendency to portray their best selves online. We celebrate our new jobs, announce our engagements, and post various types of food porn. But if you want real empathy from your friends and followers, it helps to show more than just your happy moments.
Networks such as Twitter can generate waves of global empathy that might not exist without them.
We've seen this in action in the days since the suicide of Robin Williams. Many were surprised that one of the most successful and seemingly happy actors of our time suffered from depression. His death has prompted others to share their experiences with mental illness.
Take comedian Chris Gethard, who posted a blog entry "This Is The Face of My Mental Illness." Under a picture he took of himself after a day spent "in bed, scared and crying," he wrote: "Up until now, there is NO way I would let anyone see this face." Gethard chose to share this photo of a challenging emotional moment so other people suffering from depression wouldn't have to feel as alone in their sadness.
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