Flowchart: Are You a Troll or a Thought Leader?

When’s the last time you saw something online that you really disagreed with? How did you react? Did you leave an impassioned comment or just close the tab and move on?

What about something that you really loved? Did you share it on social media? Leave a five-star review?

A lot of people don’t realize that what we see online is often determined by how we respond to the content we see. Some only seek out what they like, leading them into a filter bubble filled with both customized recommendations and customized opinions. Others deliberately seek out what they dislike so they can tell other people why they’re stupid and wrong.

There are also those who attempt to avoid any kind of customized online experience and use anti-tracking software and other tools to pop the filter bubble.

A new infographic from Hyper Island explains exactly how our online behavior contributes to the size of our filter bubble—and whether our contributions are more likely to make us trolls or thought leaders. Take a minute to see where your path leads, and if you don’t like where you end up, think about adjusting your approach to digital interaction next time.