Reimagining Networks: An interview with Wendy Hui Kyong Chun
"What became clear was that at the heart of recommendation systems and social-media networks is the notion of homophily, the idea that similarity breeds connection. Crucially, not only was homophily considered to be a natural default, it was also justified and developed through examples of racial segregation, especially residential segregation."
"What is disturbing about homophily is not only that it has become normalized — we presume it’s the only form of connection, thus erasing heterophily and indifference, which are key modes of connection — but also that it naturalizes racism and obscures institutional and economic factors."
"Can you talk about why you describe networks and algorithms as performative?
Absolutely. A lot of the hype around big data and a lot of machine-learning programs stems from their alleged predictive power. Basically, they argue that “based on the past, we can predict the future.” But not only do they predict the future, they often put the future in place. Their predictions are correct because they program the future."
"Further, as Jacques Derrida argues, traditionally, friendship is not reciprocal; liking somebody doesn’t mean they’re also going to like you. Friendship entails fundamentally putting yourself at risk and being vulnerable to somebody.
Intriguingly, “friending” on social networks is presumed to be reciprocal. You send a friend request and become friends when it’s accepted, so a friendship becomes a two-way connection. By friending someone, you’re establishing a relationship of trust. The idea is that if you say, “Only friends have access to your information,” you’re somehow more secure. Which is really strange because through this stage of trust or friending, people often give more information than they otherwise would in a public forum."